Once again, so much for embryonic stem cells being the “only hope.” Scientists have turned bone marrow cells into brain cells. From the U.S.News and World Report story:

Scientists have discovered an antibody that can turn stem cells from a patient’s bone marrow directly into brain cells, a potential breakthrough in the treatment of neurological diseases and injuries. Richard Lerner, of the Scripps Research Institute in California, says that when a specific antibody is injected into stem cells from bone marrow, normally turn into white blood cells, cells can be triggered to turn into brain cells. “There’s been a lot of research activity where people would like to repair brain and spinal cord injuries,” Lerner says. “With this method, you can go to a person’s own stem cells and turn them into brain cells that can repair nerve injuries.”

Scientists like my friend, the FRC’s David Prentice, who opposed federal funding of embryonic stem cell research on ethical grounds and who argued that adult stem cells offered tremendous opportunity for regenerative medical treatments, were slanderously branded by the ESCR hypers as “anti science.” Wrong. Apologies are owed, but you watch, none will be offered.

A small prediction: Once cloning is accomplished — coming soon, I fear — the same crowd will be making the same arguments in favor of that unethical technology, along with the same smears against their debate opponents, all duly parroted by the willfully amnesiac media.

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Wesley J. Smith, J.D., Special Consultant to the CBC
Wesley J. Smith, J.D., Special Consultant to the CBC