The Flag of the World

The Democrats finally have found what they think is a wedge issue they can use. Unfortunately, it requires a lot of truth bending and ignorance in order to wedge it. The passing of Christopher Reeves (a truly inspirational figure, whatever his political leanings–here’s the best tribute I’ve seen to him) has given the Democrats an opening to bring embryonic stem cell research to center stage (or at least as near as they can get it, with that nuisance of a War on Terror going on). Their milking of Reeves’ death for political gain is certainly disgusting, but it’s merely an exension of the entire attitude towards stem cell research, their desperation for a winning issue writ large.

Today has treated us to John Edwards promising us that “when John Kerry is president, people like Christopher Reeve are going get up out of that wheelchair and walk again” (well, hallelujah), and Patty Davis letting us all know that Bush’s stance on stem cells is killing people. To hear these people talk, you’d think that embryonic stem cells were universally recognized as the way that all diseases will be cured. That, frankly, is rubbish.

If no one had any moral problems with killing embryos to harvest cells, then embryonic stem cell research would simply be one of many different strategies to combat various diseases and dysfunctions. As it stands, it is an ethically questionable strategy to combat various diseases and dysfunctions. It is not a magic bullet, and it’s not a sure-fire cure. It certainly shows less promise than some other ethically problematic procedures.

For example, if we could just perform medical experiments on prison inmates, science would be a lot easier. If we could have women concieve children, abort them, and sell them to laboratories, that would make science easier. If we could dig up bodies from graveyards, or let our medical students practice on stray cats, things would be easier. On a less extreme note, if we didn’t have to worry about privacy concerns, genetic pedigrees would be easier. If we didn’t have to worry about honoring patents and copyrights and non-disclosure agreements, that certainly might speed science along too. But the bittersweet fact is that science does not live in a bubble, isolated from ethics.

Look, I have a biology degree. I work in biotech. I am as excited about the possibilities that biological research offers us as anyone. And yes, there is the possibility that some amazing things could happen if the government poured money into stem cell research. But there is also the very real possibility that nothing would happen. We’d be much more assured of results if we used the entire population of Puerto Rico as guinea pigs. But that, of course, would be evil. And enough Americans think that stem cell research is evil that the United States government should not put any money into it.

But the Democrats don’t want to acknowledge these arguments. Politicians want a wedge issue, and a few scientists want funding, and so they’re willing to make poor dupes like Patty Davis think that “embryonic stem cell research” is synonymous with “hope.”

The money that we aren’t spending on embryonic stem cells is not going to waste. It is going to other, just as promising research, like adult stem cells or molecular modeling. A case could be made that this is the more difficult way. But sometimes, science–like the rest of us–has to take the more difficult road.

Posted by Timothy Goddard at 8:39 pm 10/12/2004 | Election 2004| Science

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