On Stem Cell Research

In a democracy politics enters the most sober events. Most Americans probably watched at least parts of the state funeral of President Reagan last week. One very moving sight in the week's ceremonies was Nancy Reagan's face. When she was a First Lady, I thought she was extravagant and shallow. Last week she seemed to be a very strong woman. She showed the intense grief and fatigue she undoubtedly felt, but she acted with dignity and strength to honor her husband, fully aware of the millions of eyes on her.

The tragedy of the Reagan family for the past ten years is widely known. In 1994 Reagan wrote a letter to the nation stating that he had Alzheimer's. The family's courage in making this public raised public awareness and gave a huge boost to Alzheimer's research. and public recognition of this disease which is shared by 4 million Americans.

And in the past three years Nancy Reagan has become a leader in promoting stem cell research, which most researchers are convinced may eventually cure or at least ease Alzheimer's, and a number of other diseases.

Just last month Nancy strongly endorsed this research and made a plea to take this important work out of the political field. She spoke at a fundraising dinner for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. She spoke of her husband who "is now in a distant place where I can no longer reach him..... Because of this I am determined to do whatever can to save other families from this pain. I just don't see how we can turn our back on this...We have lost so much time already. I just really can't bear to lose any more." She added that she believes that stem cell research "may provide our scientists with many answers that for so long have been beyond our grasp." This is believed to be the first time she has spoken out publicly on the issue, although her views have been widely known.

But the Bush administration has placed strict limitations on such research. So we have the most famous conservative Republican woman taking serious issue with the current conservative Republican president.

Most of us in the non-scientific world don't know much about stem cells. One of my doctor friends defined it as a cell that is immature, that still has the ability to become of the many cells in our bodies. Embryonic stem cells can become anything-- muscle, bone, blood etc. As we age most of the stem cells become specific. The Bush Administration has denied federal money for anything but the most restricted research.

His supporters believe that the use of an embryonic stem cell, smaller than the point of a pin, is destruction of a human life, comparable to abortion. His opponents say that there are an estimated 400,000 embryonic stem cells currently frozen in in vitro clinics which are already destined for destruction.

The president chose to send his wife out to speak against Nancy's cause. On CBS when asked whether her husband was ready to endorse the research, she said, "No." ABC's "Good Morning America" she said, "It it's a very delicate line. We have to -- it's something that has to be treated very carefully, because we're balancing scientific interests with ethical issues.

Many Senators and Representatives of both parties have signed letters to Bush asking that the restrictions be removed. So far he won't budge.

So along with abortion, stem cell research has become a political buzz word. What next?