In the last decade, Fox has lent his voice to advocates of embryonic stem cell research on numerous occasions. He appeared in television ads in both Missouri and California, praised President Obama's decision to expand federal funding of embryonic stem cell research and even campaigned for politicians in favor of killing human embryos for research and campaigned against prolife politicians.
Now, in an interview with Diane Sawyer, Fox notes there are problems and challenges with embryonic stem cells and they're now focusing his foundation's money and energy on other ways of attempting to treat and cure Parkinson's disease.
Michael J. Fox, whose turn from Parkinson's disease patient to scientific crusader made him one of the country's most visible advocates for stem cell research, now believes the controversial therapy may not ultimately yield a cure for his disease, he told ABC's Diane Sawyer in an exclusive interview.
There have been "problems along the way," Fox said of stem cell studies, for which he has long advocated. Instead, he said, new drug therapies are showing real promise and are "closer today" to providing a cure for Parkinson's disease, a degenerative illness that over time causes the body to become rigid and the brain to shut down.
"Stem cells are an avenue of research that we've pursued and continue to pursue but it's part of a broad portfolio of things that we look at. There have been some issues with stem cells, some problems along the way," said Fox, who suffers from the diseases' telltale tics and tremors.
For more than a decade, prolife organizations like Right to Life of Michigan have been pointing out the numerous problems with embryonic stem cells and the unlikelihood of them ever being used in large scale efforts to combat disease. After years of failures, even the staunchest of embryonic stem cell proponents are beginning to realize that cures from embryonic stem cells aren't right around the corner.
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