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03-22-05, 02:35 PM
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,12621029%255E2702,00.html
Wayne Smith
March 22, 2005
CATHOLIC Archbishop George Pell will refer to Rome an Australian scientific breakthrough that could make obsolete the moral and ethical debate surrounding embryonic stem cell research.
Griffith University's Alan Mackay-Sim yesterday published the results of a four-year project that succeeded in growing adult stem cells harvested from the nose.
The cells appear to be able to deliver everything that embryonic stem cell research promises, but without the medical and ethical side-effects.
Professor Mackay-Sim said the easily harvested and grown olfactory stem cells are capable of being turned into heart cells, brain cells, nerve cells, indeed almost any kind of cell in the body, without the problems of rejection or tumours forming, which can happen in one in five cases when embryonic stem cells are injected into the body.
The university research team, partially funded by a $50,000 grant from the Catholic Church directly approved by Cardinal Pell, appears to have found a direct and non-controversial alternative to the use of stem cells derived from leftover embryos created during IVF fertility treatment.
Cardinal Pell, who has lobbied for a national ban on embryonic stem cell research, said there was a real possibility the findings had made "an enormous contribution".
"I would be happy to communicate it to the Pontifical Academy of Science to expedite the scientific examination and also to spread the word about the success," he said.
He also indicated he was prepared to put more Catholic funding into the project.
Federal Health Minister Tony Abbott, who officially launched the publication of the team's paper in the peer-reviewed journal Developmental Dynamics, steered away from describing the apparent breakthrough as a godsend.
"It's a science-send not a godsend," he said. "But if adult stem cell research is a prospect, as this particular project seems to suggest, well then, all those moral dilemmas we were wrestling with a few years ago, and will have to wrestle with again when the legislation comes up for review, we may be delivered from."
State governments recently turned down a proposal from John Howard to extend by another year restrictions imposed in 2002 on stem cell research using surplus IVF embryos. The restrictions expire early next month, when the Government will review IVF embryo use and the related issue of therapeutic cloning.
Mr Abbott, who was mildly rebuked by Professor Mackay-Sim at the launch for not providing any federal funding for the Griffith University project, said the team's findings were unlikely to sway the states to consider extending the present restrictions on stem cell research. "This is really a different topic."
However, senator Ron Boswell, leader of the Nationals in the Senate, said the giant leap forward made by the research proved that adult stem cell research, not embryonic research, was the way of the future.
"This new adult cell technology now puts them way ahead of embryo stem cell research," Senator Boswell said.
"Science has spoken loud and clear and come out on the side of adult stem cells."
If this is true this is a huge breakthrough, though there need to be other studies to confirm.
Wayne Smith
March 22, 2005
CATHOLIC Archbishop George Pell will refer to Rome an Australian scientific breakthrough that could make obsolete the moral and ethical debate surrounding embryonic stem cell research.
Griffith University's Alan Mackay-Sim yesterday published the results of a four-year project that succeeded in growing adult stem cells harvested from the nose.
The cells appear to be able to deliver everything that embryonic stem cell research promises, but without the medical and ethical side-effects.
Professor Mackay-Sim said the easily harvested and grown olfactory stem cells are capable of being turned into heart cells, brain cells, nerve cells, indeed almost any kind of cell in the body, without the problems of rejection or tumours forming, which can happen in one in five cases when embryonic stem cells are injected into the body.
The university research team, partially funded by a $50,000 grant from the Catholic Church directly approved by Cardinal Pell, appears to have found a direct and non-controversial alternative to the use of stem cells derived from leftover embryos created during IVF fertility treatment.
Cardinal Pell, who has lobbied for a national ban on embryonic stem cell research, said there was a real possibility the findings had made "an enormous contribution".
"I would be happy to communicate it to the Pontifical Academy of Science to expedite the scientific examination and also to spread the word about the success," he said.
He also indicated he was prepared to put more Catholic funding into the project.
Federal Health Minister Tony Abbott, who officially launched the publication of the team's paper in the peer-reviewed journal Developmental Dynamics, steered away from describing the apparent breakthrough as a godsend.
"It's a science-send not a godsend," he said. "But if adult stem cell research is a prospect, as this particular project seems to suggest, well then, all those moral dilemmas we were wrestling with a few years ago, and will have to wrestle with again when the legislation comes up for review, we may be delivered from."
State governments recently turned down a proposal from John Howard to extend by another year restrictions imposed in 2002 on stem cell research using surplus IVF embryos. The restrictions expire early next month, when the Government will review IVF embryo use and the related issue of therapeutic cloning.
Mr Abbott, who was mildly rebuked by Professor Mackay-Sim at the launch for not providing any federal funding for the Griffith University project, said the team's findings were unlikely to sway the states to consider extending the present restrictions on stem cell research. "This is really a different topic."
However, senator Ron Boswell, leader of the Nationals in the Senate, said the giant leap forward made by the research proved that adult stem cell research, not embryonic research, was the way of the future.
"This new adult cell technology now puts them way ahead of embryo stem cell research," Senator Boswell said.
"Science has spoken loud and clear and come out on the side of adult stem cells."
If this is true this is a huge breakthrough, though there need to be other studies to confirm.