Leading Biochemist Calls Embryonic Stem Cell Research “Sloppy Science” -- Recent Scientific Discoveries Support President's Ban on Funds for Embryonic Stem Cell Research
Dr. Fazale Rana is available for comment on the house bills currently under debate in the Senate. Calling embryonic stem cell research ‘sloppy science,’ Dr. Rana and a host of other scientists are urging legislators to take a closer look at the most recent findings.
To: National Desk
Contact: Kathleen Campbell, Campbell Public Relations, 719-540-6022
NEWS ADVISORY, June 17, 2006, Christian Wire Service -- The battle over stem cells begins again as the Senate debates three house bills that, if passed, are likely to prompt President Bush to issue his first veto. But scientists weighing in on this politically and emotionally charged legislation are raising questions about the actual effectiveness of embryonic stem cells in the treatment of disease.
"The most recent scientific evidence shows the use of human embryos for therapeutic stem cell research to be ineffective and unnecessary," says internationally respected biochemist, Dr. Fazale Rana, a recognized expert in origin of life research. "The use of human embryos for stem cell research is, quite frankly, sloppy science."
According to Dr. Rana and a host of other scientists, alternative sources such as adult stem cells, are highly preferable for therapeutic stem cell research and do not raise the ethical and moral concerns that surround the destruction of human embryos. Dr. Rana's research reveals:
- Why the use of human embryos is unnecessary and ineffective
- The most recent biochemical research that shows stem cells are NOT effective in the treatment of Alzheimer’s
- Why ethical alternatives that do not involve the destruction of human embryos are far better for therapeutic research
"In spite of the latest findings, many news reports continue to suggest that embryonic stem cells hold the cure for all types of diseases, and Americans are being deprived of potentially life-saving discoveries due to the ban on the use of embryos," continues Dr. Rana. "This is simply not the case.
"There are better alternatives that do not involve the use of human embryos,” says Dr. Rana. “When scientific research is conducted properly it does not raise morality issues."
Fazale Rana, Ph.D. is the vice president for science apologetics at the science/faith think-tank, Reasons To Believe (www.reasons.org). Rana did his undergraduate work in chemistry at West Virginia State College. He then completed his post-graduate studies at Ohio University and earned a Ph.D. in chemistry with an emphasis in biochemistry. After completing postdoctoral fellowships at the universities of Virginia and Georgia, he worked for seven years in product development research for Procter & Gamble.
Prior to joining the scholar team at Reasons To Believe in 1999, he published more than 15 articles in peer-reviewed scientific journals and made more than 20 presentations at international scientific meetings. Dr. Rana also coauthored a chapter on antimicrobial peptides for Biological and Synthetic Membranes and he holds one patent.
Since joining Reasons To Believe he has chaired three conferences and has written two books published by NavPress, Origins of Life: Biblical and Evolutionary Models Face Off and Who Was Adam?: A Creation Model Approach to the Origin of Man. He has published numerous articles on the apologetic significance of recent discoveries in the life sciences. He appears each week on the live Web broadcast, Creation Update, and is a highly popular and frequent guest on a wide variety of nationally/internationally syndicated talk radio and television programs.
