Cloning/Stem Cell Research:
NJ Stem Cell Dollars and “Sense”?

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Len Deo, President, New Jersey Family Policy Council

This week, the NJ Senate voted 22-14 that our tax dollars be used to fund state spending of $150 million dollars to build the NJ Stem Cell Institute. Before our full legislature and governor sign off on this venture and on another proposed $380 million, citizens need to ask some important questions. Most importantly, “W hy should we pour millions of our tax dollars, (on top of the new taxes recently proposed by Democrat leaders to pay debt) for an institute that will be conducting controversial research with human embryonic stem cells (derived from destroying days-old human embryos) which will allow and refine technological processes to advance human cloning?

Governor Codey and a majority of our legislators have posed two highly questionable reasons: We must study embryonic stem cells (ESCs) because some researchers say they more easily morph into any type of cell in the body than adult stem cells (ASCs), and because scientists “believe” that embryonic research holds great promise, therefore our state should lure bio-tech companies to NJ for the benefit of jobs and tax income.

The truth is research shows that adult stem cells, which include those found in non-adult tissue such as umbilical cords, placentas and amniotic fluid, are already proving capable of being coaxed into developing into any cells in the body. In fact, Ira Black, (director of the Stem Cell Research Center at NJ’s -Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and Chairman of the Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology) said his ASC research shows that all sorts of cells could be teased into becoming nerve cells, and therefore it "essentially circumvents all the ethical concerns with the use of fetal tissues."

As for ESCs, simply because some scientists continue to repeat they “may” prove miraculous, or “could” work “one day”, doesn’t make it a wise investment. Embryonic stem cell research has consistently failed, scientists have said that potential success is more than 10 years away, and promoters never talk about the tendency for ESCs to be rejected and even to become cancerous. Some argue that more time and money will show results, but ESC research has been around as long as ASC research, yet ESCs have never been shown to cure anything even in animals. All of the major breakthrough research in helping patients is happening with  ASCs, which currently treat or cure over 80 different diseases (and spinal code repair), and are the best hope for future cures of Parkinsons, heart disease and more within the next ten years.

Why then, are even researchers like Black getting behind research for ESCs ? Because they are willing to research whatever they can if the government is willing to dole out the money. Venture capitalists and even NJ’s major pharmaceutical companies have not been willing to invest due to the risk, so that leaves the government trough. Our elected officials are banking on the fact that companies will come to NJ, remain in NJ until there’s a breakthrough, and be able to profit enough financially so that the government will receive some return. Success with ESCs are questionable enough. In addition, based on NJ’s previous record with funding bio-tech companies, it is also questionable whether companies we fund will stay in NJ or take our tax dollars, profits and jobs elsewhere, if there ever is an ESC breakthrough.

What Bio-tech companies want are new patents for the process of utilizing embryonic stem cells, however, the gamble is if ESC’s continue to be as difficult to work with and problematic as they are now, even after more years of testing, what then? NJ may temporarily benefit with jobs and limited tax money, but there will be virtually no real return on investment. Concerning adult stem-cell research, Dr. David Prentice, Affiliated Scholar for the Center for Clinical Bioethics, Georgetown University Medical Center explains that “companies can't patent someone's adult stem cells, but they can patent the instruments to get them or the method of getting them”, and “adult stem cells still need a lot of basic research, as well as clinical research.  If our true goal was to help patients we'd be focusing on adult stem cells.”

Unfortunately for patients awaiting cures, the politicized movement to fund embryonic research and the mass campaign to fool the American public may diminish grants for ASC research. Dr. David Hess, a neurologist at the Medical College of Georgia, says, “I don’t want money for adult stem-cell research being pushed into embryonic, though it’s already starting to happen”.

We must not allow any more of our hard-earned income to be taxed and our state further indebted to support scientists pipe dreams with ESC research when it is not even necessary. It is highly unlikely that it can give NJ the dollars it hopes for, and it certainly doesn’t make good “sense”.