Lifting the Ban: The Struggle for Stem Cells (I)

Lifting the Ban: The Struggle for Embryonic Stem Cell Research (Part 1 of 2)

James Hardie -Director
Joey O'Connor --Cinematographer/Editor
Steve Hartter -MoOF Cinematographer/Editor
Jackie Vandervest --Tech Guru
Year: 2005

Spartan Wheat Production team from Michigan State University's Lyman Briggs College presents a documentary film that attempts to clarify controversial issues connected with stem cells. The film teams explains: "Stem cells are unspecialized cells that give rise later in life to a specific specialized cell of an organ or tissue. Research first began on Adult stem cells during the 1960s. These stem cells are typically harvested from the skin, bone marrow, and nasal passages. By the early 1980s, adult stem cells were already being used to cure a variety of diseases such as Parkinson's disease and certain cancers (Brossard, 2003). The 1990s saw the first use of umbilical cord blood stem cells, which are used to treat heart and other metabolic diseases in children with certain anemia's and leukemia's (Brossard, 2003). Currently, Physicians treat about 80 different diseases with the use of adult stem cells (Brossard, 2003). In 1998, a new form of stem cells were isolated, ones that would spur a heated debate and grab worldwide attention (Specht, 2005). On November 5th, 1998, scientists at the University of Wisconsin and Johns Hopkins University found embryonic stem cells, which are taken from human embryos (Specht, 2005). However, because of legal limits President Bush placed upon this type of study [to the pre-existing 60 stem cell lines] and insufficient federal funding, embryonic stem cell research was slowed down greatly. Later, when the 60 stem cell lines made available became contaminated, this eliminated any and all progress in the new field."

Experts in film: Dr. Jose Cibelli MSU Physiologist, Rep. Andrew Meisner, Michigan House of Representatives, Father Mark Inglat, St. John's Student Parish.

This film was created as part of a senior thesis research project in a course at Michigan State University. Learn more here: http://www.msu.edu/course/lbs/492/luckie

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• LBC
• LBS
• Lyman
• Briggs
• MSU
• stem
• cells
• Bush
• controversy

[jdmk20aek]

the un educated oppose this kind of research / of story

[oran6es]

An MD here vehemently opposed to hESC research. Why?

Teratoma producing cannibalistic madness, that's why. A form of human slavery( total subjugation of one group of humans over another)(human ownership by corporations). Not a single cure in sight. The numbers don't add up. Your video describes diseases that add up to tens of millions of people. Where are you going to get that many embryos without intentionally adversely affecting millions of fertile women?

[pressplay20]

You have to use fractions like 4.3% instead of 690,000 which is hard to imagine.

[Unklebillybob]

Get your facts right, First, Goto "Stem Cell Therapy Discussion" Second, Diana Degette is not a medical person and finally, take a look at "Tony Snow on Embryonic Stem Cell Veto" to really see what President Bush said.

[WayCurious]

Corrections: Fed spends $40mil annually for hES rresearch (20x more than cord blood). Dem led House won't bring for signature S.30 (which expands hES for funding & 'naturally dead' bypasses MI laws), so Bush issued executive order. ClinicalTrials*dot*gov lists 750 for 'adult', and 2 for hES but only to create new stem cell lines. Poll: SCs different than hES, Andy plays same shell game. 60+% against funding research that destroys embryo.