Fetal stem cells may lead to cures and longevity but FDA says it's unethical.

Is the FDA ban on the usage of fetal stem cells ethical? would you go out to of the country to obtain fetal stem cell therapy knowing that a fetus had died? What is your take on abortion?

a reply to: Niks22

Have fetal stem cell treatments made a breakthrough because last I heard there hasn't been one to such a degree? Plenty of places making claims but they haven't coughed up substantive evidence.

a reply to: Niks22

The three most reliable sources to date of abundant fetal stem cells are the placenta, amniotic fluid, and umbilical cord blood. These sources are also attractive in that their stem cells are obtained in a minimally invasive manner from the fetus.

www.sciencedirect.com...

a reply to: Grimpachi

I refer you to my post above.

So you want to (maybe) cure people of a disease or allow them to live longer by taking cells from someone you killed? Is it necessary to take cells from dead babies now? I thought you could get stem cells without killing the host these days.

a reply to: Niks22

Legitimate question: If they can use fetal stem cells from umbilical cords, etc. why would that be considered unethical? It's not like anyone would be out murdering unborn babies to steal their stem cells. Most women who have just given birth don't care what happens to the umbilical cords, so wouldn't it be a good thing if they could be put to use to help others? Also I wonder if the fetal stem cells could be cloned (the cells themselves, NOT fetuses)?

a reply to: GeauxHomeYoureDrunk

Also I wonder if the fetal stem cells could be cloned (the cells themselves, NOT fetuses)?

That is exactly what is done. The cells used in treatment are from cell lines.

a reply to: Niks22

They may this and they may that .. as of yet they have led to nothing. Fetal stem cells can be obtained in ethical ways.

a reply to: GeauxHomeYoureDrunk

It's a good question. Why did people link it to certain procedures to make those procedures more palatable when there is no link.

I donated my kids' cord blood to medical research. This is not unethical, and nobody gets hurt doing it. The idiots that claim it is invasive or murderous honestly don't have any goddamn clue what they're talking about with donated cord blood, and I ignore them summarily (as we all should)

It's mildly amusing to get into that debate with someone with their head stuffed so far up their ass they can't tell night from day. "What do you mean you voluntarily gave up cord blood, do you know how horrible that is? How many babies have you murdered for this scientific advancement, OMG!" That right there folks is the calling card of someone who has zero common sense and has no understanding of the procedure they rail against.

That moron also had no kids of their own, and had no idea what happens to a placenta after birth, either. They seriously thought it's forcibly removed before the baby exits stage right. WTF kind of country lets uneducated crap like this flourish!?

a reply to: Nyiah

They think that because we were told without abortion we can't get these cells. I literally learned that in school. When I said that was wrong and explained the alternatives I was told I was wrong, and that people against abortion were preventing necessary medical research.

originally posted by: schuyler
So you want to (maybe) cure people of a disease or allow them to live longer by taking cells from someone you killed? Is it necessary to take cells from dead babies now? I thought you could get stem cells without killing the host these days.

How does using stem cells from a placenta, post-birth, equal death? Or killing?

Over-react much?

originally posted by: OccamsRazor04
a reply to: Nyiah

They think that because we were told without abortion we can't get these cells. I literally learned that in school. When I said that was wrong and explained the alternatives I was told I was wrong, and that people against abortion were preventing necessary medical research.

Pro-life misinformation campaigns at the ready elsewhere in daily life don't help, either. I'm not sure if it was bad word-of-mouth info, bad sex ed in school or what, but that woman was dead-set in the belief & just insufferable to be around. Thank god it was only for a few hours of Christmas shopping with the mutual friend that brought her along, & never again.

a reply to: Niks22

If we can do a thing we will do that thing.

Ethics be darned.

And that's just how humanity rolls.

a reply to: Nyiah

Actually I believe it was pro-choice propaganda. Link abortion to lifesaving fetal cells and it makes people on the fence become pro-choice. I grew up in MA, near Boston. Everyone I argued with was pro-choice.

What we need to do is all work together to correct the ignorance so that this is not a political issue. It should be something we all agree on.

a reply to: GeauxHomeYoureDrunk

you can't get fetal stem cells from umbilical cords. You need the fetus around the 12 week stage for optimum fetal stem cells

a reply to: Duderino

again placenta post-birth does not have the optimum. Cells are required from fetus around 12 weeks

a reply to: Niks22

Can you source that. Umbilical stem cells are pluripotent.

a reply to: OccamsRazor04

umbilical cords are equivalent to embryonic stem cells. Embryonic stem cells have the ability to form non cancerous tumors called teratomas. This does not happen with fetal stem cells

a reply to: Niks22

March of Dimes says it can, and I would consider them a trustworthy source.
Umbilical Cord Blood