Leading Embryonic Stem Cell Researcher Shifts Focus

Wisconsin stem cell researcher James Thomson has shifted his focus:

"I personally believe that the future is in the (adult skin) cells," said Thomson, speaking during a press conference on Tuesday. "But the future is not here yet."

He is considered the father of embryonic stem cell research for isolating the first embryonic stem cell in 1998. I recall Thomson admitting that ESC has been oversold:

He told MSBNC that he understands the technology still has a long way to go and that embryonic stem cells are not being used in any human clinical trials yet.

"I'm very hopeful that there will be some transplantation applications for this technology, but they're going to be very challenging," he told MSNBC. "And it's been so hyped in the press that people expect it to come the day after tomorrow."

Thomson conceded that embryonic stem cell cures may not be available until "ten to twenty years from now."

I'm glad ESC Thomson is using his talents to pursue research that will likely be more productive and is ethical.

You see, the dismal track record and unattainable promises of ESC research are not the fundamental problem with it. The fatal flaw in ESC research is that scientists must "destroy" (a synonym for "kill") a human being to extract the stem cells they need. Emotionally based appeals are made to justify the practice by demeaning the unborn and undeveloped person and claiming an embryo is not as important as someone who has developed and is in need of the embryo's parts. However, the mystical point in time that a human embryo develops into a human who cannot be sacrificed for science is unknown.

Adult stem cell research has none of these problems and actually yields technology that helps people.