Tuesday, December 04, 2007

Stem cells and reality. Because we're NOT morons.


First, there is, of course, the criminally stupid posturing of Blogging Tory Dr. Roy Eappen:

This is an interesting article about Dr James A. Thomson. I have spoken to scientists on these matters before and all of them have been uneasy about using embryos for stem cells. They have said that they wanted to help the sick. While healing the sick is an admirable goal, one has to think of the moral cost as well.

I am glad these matters troubled Dr Thomson and he has found another way to do this amazing work. You can read his paper in Science here. These two groups who have found two slightly different ways of using adult stem cells offer an exciting way to fight a number of diseases. With these techniques we no longer have to destroy life to help other lives. We should all be very pleased and excited.

And then, there are the people who aren't idiots:

As Science Progress noted, the skin cell research could not have been accomplished without the knowledge from prior embryonic stem cell research.

Furthermore, Thomson and Leshner emphasized that it “remains to be seen whether reprogrammed skin cells will differ in significant ways from embryonic stem cells…it’s too early to say we’re certain.”

Do Dr. Roy's patients know he's this much of an imbecile? Is there a way to warn them?

P.S. Read the tail-wagging smackdown here.

8 comments:

Ti-Guy said...

Do Dr. Roy's patients know he's this much of an imbecile? Is there a way to warn them?

I don't think he's in clinical practice. Even if he were, he's just an endocrinologist. I have to see one (who, unlike Dr. Roy, isn't an imbecile) and their capacity to intervene in a patient's well-being is limited.

Anonymous said...

Do Dr. Roy's patients know he's this much of an imbecile? Is there a way to warn them?
The answer is no.
But you can certainly try St.Mary's in Montreal (where he works part time) the place in Ontario...

Anonymous said...

The problem with Dr. Roy is that he is just not that informed.

If you now more than he does, it's easy enough cut him down to size.
He's one of those persons who like to act like know-it-alls in front of the easily influenced.

counter-coulter said...

How obdurately obtuse can the good "doctor" be? To attempt to frame someone's research to fit his political agenda when that same researcher has publicly denounced that very framing.

I'm now begining to agree with your questioning of Dr. Roy's bona fides.

KEvron said...

an expert, should the need ever arise. she's a real nice lady (and a phd!) and will answer any questions for you.

KEVron

Red Tory said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Red Tory said...

Hey, if YOU were “Dr. Roy” don’t you think you might be able to rouse yourself from your rectal lollygagging for a bit to defend your reputation from impugnments. You know, unless they were, like, TRUE.

Rev.Paperboy said...

I suspect he's a doctor in the same way I'm a clergyman - I sent $20 to an address in the back of Rolling Stone. For another $10 I could have bought a Phd in Divinity and been the Rev. Dr. Paperboy