Stem Cell Research
"Science itself does not address the question whether we should use the power at our disposal for good or for evil." ~Wernher von Braun, Father of the American Space Program
About the issue:
In recent years, Texas has led the way in the medical field by investing time and money in researching adult stem cell treatment and technology. Adult stem cells are abundant in umbilical cord blood, which is easily and ethically available through services like the Texas Cord Blood Bank, unlike embryonic stem cells.
For scientists to experiment with embryonic stem cells, they fertilize an actual human embryo (left to nature, would grow into a baby), clone it, and then kill it to harvest stem cells. Not only is it unethical to "create" a human life simply to destroy it, embryonic stem cell research has yielded no medical treatment of any kind.
Adult stem cells, however, have been proven to treat or cure more than 70 diseases, including several types of cancer, type I (juvenile) diabetes, heart damage, and spinal cord injuries. Adult stem cell treatments have saved countless lives, including that of young Joseph Davis.
Joseph Davis, II, was born with sickle cell anemia. For over a year, his family could not find an adult stem cell and cord blood donor match. Amazingly, their search ended when Darlene and Joseph Sr. gave birth to a second son, Isaac, who was a perfect adult stem cell and cord blood donor match for his brother. Thanks to a successful transplant procedure, Joseph Davis, II, now 10 years old, was completely cured of sickle cell anemia and lives a normal life.
What We're Doing:
Because of the ethics and success of adult stem cell treatment, Liberty Institute has partnered with the Davis family to encourage the Texas Legislature to continue leading the nation in life-saving research and technology. Liberty Institute, with the Davis family, helped to pass a law that requires that all pregnant women in the state of Texas are given an educational brochure with information about the collecting and storing of adult stem cell-rich umbilical cord blood.
