The Anti-Sam Brownback Blog

In the January 16th 2006 edition of Business Week magazine, a Stanford scientist takes Brownback to task for his dark-ages stance on Stem Cell research:

As Stanford University professor Irving Weissman reflects on his lifelong quest to solve the mysteries of cancer, he bristles at the prospect that his work could be outlawed. A bill sponsored by Senator Sam Brownback (R-Kan.) introduced last spring would make it a crime to place human brain cells in animals. That means Weissman’s work — which involves transplanting human brain-tumor cells into mice — could conceivably land the 65-year-old scientist behind bars.

Weissman, who directs a stem-cell research institute at Stanford and also co-founded a company called StemCells Inc., believes that treatments for brain disorders such as Alzheimer’s and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig’s disease) could emerge from research like his. Experiments on mice with partially humanized brains could shed light on how brain diseases progress. And such animals could provide testing grounds for embryonic stem cells and other methods of regenerating diseased brains. “Tell me, Mr. Brownback, which of these diseases should we not pursue?'’ says Weissman as he points to a list on his laptop. “There are people whose window of opportunity is very brief to get these therapies. As far as I’m concerned, he’s condemning them.'’ [From Lexis Nexis]

I will admit that bioethics is an area in which I do not have much experience. However, I know that genetic disease research is an arms race and if the United States does not lead in this area other countries will. I would much rather have America at the forefront of research that could cure Alzheimer’s and juvenile diabetes than France (no offense to the French). We must not let politics get in the way of science.

Do remember that 70% of Kansans support stem cell research. Politics is all huff and bluff until a relative gets Alzheimer’s.

Never Forget, Senator Sam Brownback Hates Children With Diabetes.