Mikey's "Stem Cell Slam"

This Letter To The Editor appeared in the Bucks County Courier Times yesterday (Shelbie and Jeff are in my thoughts and prayers):

Regarding Congressman Mike Fitzpatrick’s comments about stem cell research and my wife Shelbie, who has amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a neurological disease: Shelbie and I appreciate Fitzpatrick’s support of other forms of stem cell research.

But unlike Congressman Fitzpatrick, we are opposed to discouraging a unique avenue of research. We believe we are still in the early stages of discovering the care and cure potential of stem cells.

According to Fitzpatrick, embryonic stem cell research efforts should not be embraced by the federal government because they “have not yet proven effective.” Even in this early phase of research, his comment does not square with the facts.

Imagine sitting next to your spouse at the hospital after a month-long struggle to live, and a 10-year struggle with ALS, when this story breaks (June 21, 2006) on the TV:

Researchers at Johns Hopkins University recently reported preliminary evidence that cells derived from embryonic stem cells can restore movement in an animal model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

It is heartbreaking to think where we might be today if people like Mike Fitzpatrick weren’t standing in the way of advancing this promising medical frontier. I wonder why Mike Fitzpatrick would support other forms of stem cell research, which by the same standard have not been proven “effective.” I can only guess his answer to that would be they do not “require creation and destruction of human life for medical research, something that many people find objectionable.” If this is how he feels, Congressman Fitzpatrick should introduce legislation to close fertility clinics.

These are places where human life is being “destroyed” and couples enjoy the life-changing benefits of fertility research.

I’m sure there are degrees of difference between Mike Fitzpatrick and Democratic challenger Patrick Murphy on other issues, but on stem cells their differences are night and day.

Jeff Oppenheimer
Solebury Township, PA

To lean more about ALS, click here, and to read a prior post on this for more background, click here.