LifeBeat for March 1, 2008

Ed Rivet, Legislative Director for Right to Life of Michigan, discusses how legislative efforts to legalize killing human embryos for research in Michigan have failed and how new efforts are being made using a ballot initiative petition drive. He also talks about Right to Life of Michigan's upcoming Legislative Day. To listen, click here.

LifeBeat for February 23, 2008

Ed Rivet, Legislative Director for Right to Life of Michigan, discusses legislation to ban partial-birth abortion in Michigan and why this legislation is important. He also talks about legislation which would strengthen Michigan's parental consent legislation by preventing judge-shopping for parental consent waivers. To listen, click here.

State Senator Gretchen Whitmer Misleading the Public on Stem Cell Research

Recently on the Lansing-based radio show City Pulse Live, State Senator Gretchen Whitmer claimed the state of Michigan has "an all out ban on embryonic stem cell research." Senator Whitmer was quickly corrected by the radio host and admitted that Michigan only has a ban on killing human embryos for research and researchers can import embryonic stem cell lines from other states and do research on embryonic stem cells in Michigan. She then tried to claim that doing research on embryonic stem cells isn't actual embryonic stem cell research. Senator Whitmer apparently believes that killing human embryos for their stem cells is the only kind of embryonic stem cell research and actually doing research on embryonic stem cell lines isn't embryonic stem cell research.

She also falsely claimed there are only 5 embryonic stem cell lines approved for federal funding by the Bush administration. There are currently 21 embryonic stem lines available for federal funding. It should also be noted that the University of Michigan has raised funds to do research on embryonic stem cell lines which aren't approved for federal funding.

In addition, Senator Whitmer attempted to act like people with diseases in Michigan were leaving the state to receive treatment elsewhere as if embryonic stem cells were treating people in other states. The reality is that not a single human patient has ever been successfully treated with embryonic stem cells.

When the topic of human cloning came up, Seantor Whitmer said, "We have the same ethical reservations everyone else does about cloning. We don't want to get into that business."

If so, why did Senator Whitmer introduce Senate Bill 52 on January 24, 2007, which would, if passed, legalize human cloning (also known as somatic cell nuclear transfer) in Michigan?

Towards the end of the interview and when answering questions from callers, Whitmer claimed human embryos aren't human life because they are small and 4-days-old and that when life starts is a "personal question."

Whitmer agreed to the interview but didn't want anyone opposed to killing human embryos in the studio at the time of the interview but promised to do an interview later with an individual opposed to embryonic stem cell research. Right to Life of Michigan looks forward to correcting the blatantly false information being propagated by State Senator Gretchen Whitmer in the future.

Letter to Detroit News on stem cell research

The following letter was submitted to the Detroit News in response to an editorial by Michael Staebler.

A recent editorial by Michael Staebler, a member of the University of Michigan Life Sciences Institute Leadership Council, lamented over Michigan law which prohibits the killing of human embryos for research. The editorial claimed Michigan needed to change its law to "retain and recruit the best and brightest at Michigan" and that Michigan was seen as "a backwater for serious science." If so, why did Dr. Ivan Maillard, whom stem cell researcher Sean Morrison labeled "the top young stem cell biologist in the country on the job market last year" in a Life Sciences Institute publication, decide to come to the University of Michigan in 2007 in spite of "intense competition from other research universities?" Why would "the top young stem cell biologist" wade through the supposed "backwater" of Michigan with its supposedly "medieval mentality" when other universities recruited him so heavily?

Maybe it's because some scientists don't see killing human embryos for research as the end-all and be-all of science. Or maybe it's because cutting edge stem cell work doesn't require the killing of human embryos.

Too often proponents of killing human embryos for research tend to gravitate towards wild exaggerations when they lack solid arguments.

LifeBeat for February 16, 2008

Saralee Howard, the director of the Shared Pregnancy crisis pregnancy center, discusses her experience writing the life stories of individuals who are terminally ill and how these experiences relate to her belief about the preciousness of all human life. To listen, click here.

LifeBeat for February 9, 2008

Sidewalk counselor Mary Verwys again discusses her prolife ministry at the Omega House and why she believes it is important for there to be prolife ministries next to abortion clinics. To listen, click here.

Life Facts - 7,000th Myeloma Adult Stem Cell Transplant

The Myeloma Institute for Research and Therapy located at the University of Arkansas performed its 7,000th adult stem cell transplant on October 10, 2007. The five year survival rate at the Institute is now more than 65%; the median survival rate is 7 years. Myeloma, a cancer of the blood's plasma, is treated by collecting stem cells from the patient (or umbilical cord blood if the patient's healthy stem cells are in short supply), infusing a high-dose chemotherapy (which kills the cancer along with the patient's immune system), and then transplanting the stem cells back into the bone marrow to promote immune recovery. The institute treats more than 2,250 patients annually from all over the world, suffering from myeloma. Research is ongoing, drawing from 19,000 tissue samples to identify the genetic mechanisms that trigger myeloma.

For more information, click here.

LifeBeat for February 2, 2008

Sidewalk counselor Mary Verwys talks about her work at the Omega House. The Omega House is a prolife ministry which is located next door to an abortion clinic. To listen, click here.

LifeBeat for January 26, 2008

Carrie Gordon Earll, senior director of issue analysis for Focus on the Family, discusses some of the lies about abortion that many in our society believe. She also discusses how churches can reach out to women who have had abortions. To listen, click here.

Ban on Partial-Birth Abortion Passes Michigan Senate

On January 22, 2008, the Michigan Senate passed Senate Bill 776, known as the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act, by a vote of 24-13. This bill if passed in the Michigan House and signed by Governor Granholm would make it a crime in Michigan law to perform a partial-birth abortion. Any abortionist who "performs the overt act that kills the partially delivered living fetus rather than completing the delivery" would be guilty of a felony. For more information about this legislation, visit Right to Life of Michigan's web page on this legislation.

The Detroit News carried this article about the bill's passage.

State Senator Gretchen Whitmer falsely claims embryonic stem cell research banned in Michigan

Below is a letter to the editor of the Lansing State Journal which was submitted in response to a January 20 editorial by State Senator Gretchen Whitmer which falsely claimed that embryonic stem cell research is banned in Michigan.

In a recent editorial, State Senator Gretchen Whitmer falsely claimed Michigan "ban(s) embryonic stem cell research." Embryonic stem cell research has been occurring in Michigan since 2002. The University of Michigan has a "Michigan Center for hES (human embryonic stem) Cell Research." Their web page (http://www.med.umich.edu/medschool/hes/) boasts that "(m)ore than 40 scientists are active participants in the Center for hES Cell Research." Michigan law doesn't prevent embryonic stem cell research, it prevents human cloning and killing embryos for research.

Senator Whitmer wants to change that. Legislation she's sponsoring (Senate Bill 52) would change the definition of "human cloning" to legalize the creation of human embryos through a cloning procedure called somatic cell nuclear transfer. Yet her editorial cites "restrictions" like only using embryos "created for IVF."

Why do proponents of cloning and killing embryos continuously try to deceive us? We deserve better from our elected representatives.

Head of Van Andel Institute says, "We don't have a reason to do" embryonic stem cell research

During a recent interview with the Grand Rapids Press, David Van Andel, Chief Executive of the Van Andel Institute in Grand Rapids, was asked whether the Van Andel Institute "ever will do embryonic stem-cell research?"

His response is below. He notes one of the major problems with ever using embryonic stem cells to treat patients and mentions why that's one of the reasons recent research creating patient-specific induced pluripotent stem cell lines without killing human embryos is so important.

A: We don't have a reason to do it. I mean, everybody's trying to force this on me, and I say, why? If at some point we find that stem-cell research of any kind offers an opportunity for one of the diseases we're in, we certainly will look at it and, in some cases, probably engage in it. I don't see a reason to go down the road, because I don't have anybody tell me, 'I want to go do this.' ... One of the major obstacles in embryonic stem cells that has not gotten a lot of attention is the fact that you're using somebody else's cells to make these, and you're going to plant them in your body. There's a huge rejection issue that has to be overcome, and nobody talked about that. That's why this other discovery was so important, because it was using your cells from your body, and that rejection issue gets negated. That's a major, major deal.

LifeBeat for January 19, 2008

Carrie Gordon Earll, senior director of issues analysis at Focus on the Family, discusses how churches can share the prolife message. She also discusses how most Americans don't understand what Roe v. Wade actually did. You can test your Roe IQ at www.roeiqtest.com. To listen, click here.

LifeBeat for January 12, 2008

Carrie Gordon Earll, senior director of issues analysis at Focus on the Family, discusses Sanctity of Human Life Sunday, its importance and what churches can do. To listen, click here.

Critical Reading of a Jack Lessenberry editorial on stem cell research

The most recent critical reading has been posted at www.stemcellresearchcures.com.

This critical reading points out numerous errors in an editorial by Jack Lessenberry on stem cell research which was printed in the Traverse City Record-Eagle on December 23, 2007.

Among the errors Lessenberry makes are falsely claiming again that embryonic stem cell research is outlawed in Michigan, not knowing who is sponsoring legislation to legalize the killing of human embryos in research and not knowing how much money will be spent on embryonic stem cell research in California.

Toledo Blade editorial and Jack Lessenberry get stem cell facts wrong

On December 30, 2007, the Toledo Blade published a poorly researched editorial on stem cell research which made a large number of claims which were factually incorrect. The editorial was based largely on a previous editorial written by Jack Lessenberry. The following letter to the editor was submitted in response to the Blade editorial.

The Blade's December 30th editorial on stem cell research, which strongly mirrored a former editorial by Jack Lessenberry, made a number of false claims.

First, the editorial claims Michigan has a "stem-cell ban." This is a ridiculous claim as the University of Michigan has a Center for Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research and received a large federal grant to perform embryonic stem cell research in 2003. Michigan's laws ban the killing of human embryos for research and human cloning. Researchers can and do import embryonic stem cells from other states and perform research on them in Michigan.

Second, Rep. Paul Condino isn't the primary sponsor of the legislation attempting to overturn Michigan's laws. Rep. Mark Meadows is the primary sponsor of HB 4617 and HB 4618, while Rep. Andy Meisner is the primary sponsor of HB 4616. Rep. Paul Condino isn't listed as even a co-sponsor on any of these bills.

The editorial also falsely claims Right to Life of Michigan "has convinced people that aborted fetuses would be used for such research." This statement doesn't have an ounce of truth to it. Right to Life of Michigan's website has loads of information on embryonic stem cell research and none of it claims embryonic stem cells come from aborted children. Right to Life of Michigan has also created a web site focused on stem cell research at www.stemcellresearchcures.com. Nowhere on this site will you see the claim that embryonic stem cells come from aborted fetuses.

The editorial also claims Californians voted to "tax themselves" $10 billion for embryonic stem cell research. Proposition 71, which was passed by California voters in 2004 allows $3 billion to be spent on embryonic stem cell research over 10 years and will likely cost taxpayers somewhere around $6 billion.

LifeBeat for January 5, 2008

Barbara Listing, president of Right to Life of Michigan, discusses what prolifers in Michigan should be aware of in 2008. A petition drive to legalize the cloning and killing of human embryos could begin collecting signatures in the near future. To listen, click here.

LifeBeat for December 29, 2007

Barbara Listing, president of Right to Life of Michigan, looks back at what has happened with prolife issues in Michigan over the last year. To listen, click here.

LifeBeat for December 22, 2007

Michelle Burke, field representative for Right to Life of Michigan, shares about the March for Life and bus trips leaving Michigan for this annual event in January. To listen, click here.

LifeBeat for December 15, 2007

Wesley Smith talks again about human cloning and the hubris of some scientists who believe they have a right to cloning. He also discusses what happens when society begins down the slippery slope on bio-ethical issues. To listen, click here.

Critical Reading on Stem Cell Research

At StemCellResearchCures.com, we've started a new series which will provide commentary on recent news articles on stem cell research. We've also posted a critical reading which allows visitors to read what Michigan's laws against human cloning and killing human embryos for research actually say.

Critical Reading #1 discusses an article entitled "More travel overseas for stem cell therapy" which was published in the Detroit News on November 29, 2007.

Critical Reading #2 provides links to Michigan's legislation on human cloning and killing human embryos for research and provides a brief explanation of these laws.

Critical Reading #3 reviews an article entitled "Stem cell discovery might help state life-sci industry" which was published in the Ann Arbor Business Review on December 6, 2007.

Tags: stem cell research, human cloning, michigan

LifeBeat for December 8, 2007

Wesley Smith again discusses human cloning for research and the dangers of a society which doesn't recognize the intrinsic value of human life. To listen, click here.

Tags: human cloning, stem cell research, wesley smith

Life Facts - From Mice to Men ... within 6 months

First the famous "mouse study" made headlines last June, with Prof. Shinya Yamanaka from Japan, who successfully reprogrammed mouse skin cells back to an embryonic state. As little as 6 months later, this procedure has been duplicated in humans! This new method known as direct reprogramming, produces iPS (induced pluripotent state) cells all without harming, cloning or destroying embryos. James Thomson from the University of Wisconsin and Shinya Yamanaka from Kyoto University in Japan are responsible for this unquestionable huge advancement. Consequentially, Prof. Ian Wilmut, the scientist who cloned Dolly the sheep, has announced that he has halted cloning experiments using somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) stating, "this [direct reprogramming method] is the future of stem cell research." Science itself is putting to rest the controversial stem cell debate. Researchers can now venture full speed ahead, with support from all sides, to find cures without delay.

James Thomson, the first to isolate human embryonic stem cells in 1998, said it best, "Isn't it great to start a field and then to end it?" These leading scientists have come full circle, admitting there is no future in embryonic stem cell research.

Read the articles linked below in their entirety:

Dolly Creator Prof. Ian Wilmut Shuns Cloning

New Stem Cell Method Could Ease Ethical Concerns

Man who helped start stem cell war may end it

LifeBeat for December 1, 2007

Wesley Smith again discusses human cloning and the difficulties researchers have obtaining human eggs. He also talks about how obtaining human eggs can endanger the health of women. To listen, click here.

Tags: human cloning, stem cell, wesley smith

Stem cell letter to the Michigan Daily

The following letter was submitted to the Michigan Daily in response to a recent editorial on stem cell research.

In a recent editorial, the Michigan Daily claims opponents of killing human embryos for research are "running out of reasons." Sadly, this editorial never explained what Michigan's "draconian laws" are nor did it explain how these laws were hurting Michigan. It claims Michigan is falling behind in stem cell research and then provides no evidence for this claim.

The editorial asserts "there is no chance" that human embryos "destroyed" for their stem cells "would otherwise be allowed to mature into actual human beings." Besides incorrectly assuming human embryos aren't "actual" human beings, this statement ignores the growing number of human embryos who have been adopted by couples struggling with infertility. One such former embryo named Frank Geisen recently appeared with his parents who testified against changing Michigan's laws.

The editorial also inaccurately claims embryonic stem cells "are the most readily available, flexible and understood choice." Embryonic stem cells are not more readily available or understood than adult stem cells which are in every single one of our bodies and are currently being used to treat patients. Recent research into creating pluripotent stem cells by reprogramming skin cells (which are quite easy to obtain) shows those reprogrammed cells are just as flexible as embryonic stem cells.

The editorial is correct about one thing: the tide on this issue is turning. It's turning sharply away from those who think killing human embryos is the answer. Recently, voters in New Jersey turned down an effort to spend $450 million on embryonic stem cell research. On November 20, two sets of researchers revealed they created pluripotent stem cells by reprogramming adult cells. Pluripotency is the asset in embryonic stem cells which some researchers crave. Now researchers have a simple, ethical way of obtaining patient-specific pluripotent stem cells from patients without killing human embryos.

Tags: stem cell research, michigan daily