Sam Brownback: “this article is by Dr. James Thomson, University of Wisconsin. Some may recognize that name. His name has been used on…”

“this article is by Dr. James Thomson, University of Wisconsin. Some may recognize that name. His name has been used on this floor many times during the past 8 years on the issue of embryonic stem cell research. He is the man who discovered human embryonic stem cells about 10 years ago and described them as being what is called pluripotent, which means that an embryonic stem cell could form any other type of cell tissue in the body, whether it is for the eye, brain, bone, or skin. Any type of cell tissue could regenerate on a fast basis, and it was thought that these sorts of pluripotent embryonic stem cells were going to solve a number of our human health problems. Many of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle embraced the news and said this is a fabulous thing and we are going to be able to now cure a number of people from diseases who have had great problems and difficulties, and we want cures for them. There was an ethical glitch with it in that it took the destruction of a human embryo to get these human embryonic stem cells, and therein ensued a fight that engaged the country and engaged the world about the tension between cures and an ethical recognition of human life and the sacredness of human life. It has been a long debate.…”