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Cardinal Pell Seeks Ban on Embryo Research

Cardinal George Pell, Archbishop  of Sydney,  is  seeking  a national ban on embryonic stem-cell research.  Australia's law allowing the limited use of embryonic tissue  expires in April 2005, requiring new legislation to regulate the status of embryos that have been frozen and stored during fertility treatments.

"We are not in favor of producing human beings to destroy them for scientific purposes," Cardinal Pell said. "Human life is not a commodity." 

At the same time, the Sydney archdiocese is offering funding to scientists who are working with stem cells that have been obtained by morally legitimate means. The archdiocese has already awarded $50,000 to one research project using stem cells taken from adult tissues, with applications expected for another $50,000 grant. 

'Jack-pot' of Stem Cells in Umbilical Cord

Meanwhile LifeSiteNews.com reports that  a group of scientists at the University of Toronto have found an  abundant source of stem cells in umbilical cords.   They  have discovered what they are calling the ‘jack-pot’ of stem cells in a mass of jelly found inside the umbilical cord. "We're very excited by this," said J.E. Davies, of the UofT's Institute of Biomaterials & Biomedical Engineering. 

The source, known as Wharton's Jelly, surrounds the three umbilical cord blood vessels connecting the fetus and mother. The Toronto researchers used umbilical cords donated from full-term pregnancies.  The team hopes that this will spur parents to save their children’s umbilical cords. Stem cells from umbilical cord blood have proven to be as versatile as stem cells derived from embryos. Davies said the stem cells could provide sources of treatment for diseases such as leukemia and lymphoma, which normally require bone marrow transplants. 

The University of Toronto findings are to be published in the journal Stem Cells. “You can anticipate using these as a source of cells to help re-grow that bone ... or connective tissue in the knee .. which has been damaged in an accident,” said Davies. 

Dr. Peter Hollands, a stem cell biologist from Cambridge University and the Scientific Director of Cells for Life, one of the few cord blood banks in Canada, has said that he cannot understand why scientists are pursuing embryonic stem cells that have so far failed to produce any cures.Dr. Hollands told LifeSiteNews.com. “If we focussed more on collecting umbilical cord blood from most births and storing the samples in a public bank there would then be a suitable match for almost everyone. The ‘designer babies’ would then not be needed as the cord blood banks could easily support the demand for cells for transplantation.” 

Adult Stem Cell Treatments   v.    Embryonic Stem Cells

1.  Brain Cancer                                                None

2.  Retinoblastoma

3.  Ovarian Cancer

4.  Merkel Cell Cancer

5.  Testicular Cancer

6.   Lymphoma

7.   Acute Lymphobolastic Leukemia

8.   Acute Myelogenous Leukemia

9.   Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia

10. Juvenile Myelomonocytic Leukemia

11. Angioimmunoblastic Lymphadenopathy

12. Multiple Myeloma

13. Myelodysplasia

14. Breast Cancer

15. Neuroblastoma

16. Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma

17. Hodgkin's Lymphoma

18. Renal Cell Carcinoma

19. Various Solid Tumors

20. Soft Tissue Sarcoma

21. Scleromyxedema

22. Multiple Sclerosis

23. Crohn's Disease

24. Rheumatoid Arthritis

25. Juvenile Arthritis

26. Systemic Lupus

27. Polychondritis

28. Systemic Vasculitis

29. Sjogren's Syndrome

30. Behcet's Disease

31. Myasthenia

32. Red Cell Aplasia

33. Autoimmune Cytopenia

34. X-Linked Lymphoproliferative Syndrome

35. X-Linked Hyperimmunoglobuline-M Syndrome

36. Severe Combined Immunodeficiency Syndrome-X1

37. Sickle Cell Anemia

38. Sideroblastic Anemia

39. Waldenstrom's Macroglobulinemia

40. Aplastic Anemia

41. Amegakaryocytic Thrombocytopenia

42. Chronic Epstein-Barr Infection

43. Fanconi's Anemia

44. Diamond Blackfan Anemia

45. Thalassemia

46. Stroke

47. Osteogenesis Imperfecta

48. Sandhoff Disease

49. Corneal Regeneration

50. Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis

51. Primary Amyloidosis

52. Limb Gangrene

53. Surface Wound Healing

54. Heart Damage

55. Parkinson's Disease

56. Spinal Cord Injury