Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Stem Cell Post

Recently I posted on biotech company Geron's clinical trial promises -- a wait-til-next-year approach worthy of the Chicago Cubs.

Most commenters felt I'd been unfair in overlooking the regulatory hurdles placed before them by the Bush administration. That's actually a valid point. However, as anyone who's ever had a friend repeatedly fail to keep a promise can attest, excuses get tiresome, even if they're good. Geron should be quiet until they're ready -- otherwise people will start wondering if the grand promises are just a con game.

This, unfortunately, is the catch-22 of research in general, and embryonic stem cell research in particular: you can't get public support without promising great advances, but advances take time and an impatient public could turn nasty.

But the commenters' criticism paled in comparison to that of embryonic stem cell researcher Hans Keirstead. He wrote WiSci editor Kristen Philipkoski to say that

I would also like you to know that I read a recent antagonistic article in your online journal concerning Geron's timeline to the clinic. I feel that you have done a tremendous disservice to the stem cell field in presenting Geron's path to the clinic as you did.

Ironically, I said in the post that embryonic stem cell research was promising, but would take time and effort to refine. If that's doing a tremendous disservice to an entire field of research, so be it. But at least Keirstead didn't call me a killer.

Don Margolis, founder of Israel-based biotech company Theravitae, whose contribution to stem cell literature consists of exactly one article, wrote to say:

I am another liberal biotech person---both a a watchdog and a doer. I have been calling Geron and it's previous Mr. West what they are---embryonic profiteers who will never produce anything worthwhile for humanity, just a lot of hot air to get funds from the state and national governments because Wall Street now sees through them.

They (and you?) are responsible for the deaths of thousands of heart patients who could already be receiving ASC treatment for "untreatable"
heart conditions except for the profiteers lies about ASC.

Your own personal ESC bias is based on ignorance of the science. Like the rest of your ilk, you use the term "stem cells' to mean only embryonic. Not agreeing with Mr. Reynolds is something I would expect from a know-nothing politician. Mr. Reynolds is a pussycat when it comes to exposing these con men for what they really are. I present you with a hundred pages of the truth. You may not like my style, but you may be able to handle the truth. Truth. Something you value less than your love of a false science that will never work. You don't know it because your ASC eyes are closed.

Wow. One moment you're writing a blog post, the next you're being called a mass murderer.

In another irony, I've always had a soft spot for adult stem cells. As with embryonic stem cells, their potential has been sadly and unscientifically politicized. There's room in the world for both.

Anyways, Mr. Margolis saw fit to attach the Truth to his email in the form of an article called "The $100 Billion Scam." Its catchy subtitle is, "How the absurd stem cell debate in America is destroying human life by the hundreds, every day, every week, every month, while enriching the powerful."

Maybe you, dear readers, can handle the Truth better than I. In the meantime, I'm going to finish this article on mouse genetics (the reason for today's light blogging) and get some lunch.
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Image: Katlin Lewis*