The Issue

Injections of Hope: Doctors Promote Offshore Stem Cell Shots, but Some Patients Cry Foul

By Brian Vastag, Special to The Washington Post | Tuesday, September 2, 2008; HE01

A vast human experiment is afoot. And no one is taking good notes.

Fueled by demand from desperate patients, dozens of companies around the globe are peddling stem cell injections for $15,000 to $50,000 and more. Based merely on the claims made by these companies, at least a few thousand patients from the United States have paid for stem cells overseas.

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Vatican lists objectionable reproductive procedures

By Philip Pullella |  Fri Dec 12, 2008 8:56am EST

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – A Vatican bioethics document Friday condemned artificial fertilization and other techniques used by many couples and also said human cloning, “designer babies” and embryonic stem-cell research were immoral. continue

Nov 20th 2008  |  From The Economist print edition

Stem-cell medicine takes a step forward

Ms. Castillo relaxes

IN THE hierarchy of transplant surgery, replacing a bronchus (the passage from the main windpipe, the trachea, into a lung) does not sound difficult compared with, say, plumbing in a new heart. In fact, until a few months ago, it had never been attempted. The reason was not that the surgery itself would be hard, but that the tissue in question, which is the first line of defence against the bacteria and viruses that come with every lungful of air, has a remarkably active immune response. So active, indeed, that if you transferred part of an airway from one person to another, the resulting immunological conflict would probably kill the recipient. Since a weak bronchus, though debilitating, is seldom life-threatening, transplant surgeons have left well-enough alone.

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By Steve Ruark, AP

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, which held a semi-annual meeting this month in Baltimore, says lifting a ban on funding for stem cell research would alienate millions.

By Mimi Hall, USA TODAY
WASHINGTON — President-elect Barack Obama could reignite an emotional national debate over the promise and the perils of medical research using cells taken from human embryos.
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops is warning that Obama will alienate millions, and abortion opponents are bracing for a fight. Medical researchers, meanwhile, are rejoicing at the prospect of freedom from a government policy they say has stymied efforts to develop life-saving treatments.

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