Stem Cell Research: What Does It Mean for Scleroderma?
By Carolyn Weller, R.N. and Elaine Furst, R.N., B.S.N., M.A. (originally published in “Scleroderma Voice,” 2001 Issue #3) President rules on embryonic stem cell New York Times Parents freeze umbilical cord blood for stem cell use in the future Seattle Post-Intelligencer Stem cell research might help cure Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and diabetes Newsweek Whew! What has been going on over the past few months? The headlines above come from leading newspapers and magazines. The Internet also has many articles and web pages devoted to the stem cell controversy. The stem cell issue involves elements of ethical, religious, and scientific thought near and dear to each of us in some way. It can be very confusing to patients and families affected by scleroderma, as well as those of us who are involved with scleroderma support, awareness, and research funding. The stem cell research controversy is a good example of how science, government, and ethical concerns can overlap. Celebrities such as Michae
