From LifeSite
BALTIMORE, September 6, 2005 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Human embryonic stem cells have long been known to be unstable and difficult to control. In some cases, where they have been used directly in therapeutic trials, the use of embryo stem cells has been disastrous for patients. Now a researcher from Johns Hopkins University, an institution that has backed the use of embryos for research, has found that embryonic stem cells that are cultured in the lab accumulate genetic changes that may be linked to cancer.Like a genetic game of “telephone” the longer the cells are cultivated, the more the genetic errors grow. Says Dr. Aravinda Chakravarti a geneticist at the Institute of Genetic Medicine of Johns Hopkins University in a report in the journal Nature Genetics, “These mutations we are finding are a much bigger problem.”
Read the rest at Marlowe's Shade
The summary of Dr. Chakravarti neglects one other comment he makes that embryonic stem cells are more stable than adult stem cells. Also, referring to disastrous results for direct use of embryonic cells needs substantiation.
As far as substantiation, fair enough Marie:
http://www.stemcellresearch.org/facts/escproblems.htm
Lots of citation in journals, etc.
Dr Chakravarti said he suspected that there might be similar problems with adult cell, but I've never come across any information about tumors, rejection, and other problems with adult cells. With 65 viable treatments based on adult cells vs 0 from embryos, wouldn't that have become an issue by now?
Good comment Marie I appreciate the polite tone and you are clearly in goodwill in trying to sort out the facts of the debate.