12 Oct 2004 Patti Davis on Stem Cells

Patti Davis, Ronald Reagan’s daughter, writing in Newsweek:

“I wonder if President Bush could look into the eyes of Christopher Reeve’s family and tell them that it’s because he values life so deeply that he is preserving clusters of cells in freezers — cells that resulted from in-vitro fertilization and could be used for embryonic stem cell treatment — despite the fact that more people will die as a result of his decision.”

If Patti Davis can prove that statement, she should stop wasting her time writing for Newsweek and put her talents to work as a research scientist. She also should stop waiting around for federal funding for embryonic stem cell research and show her proof to private financing sources, who, business being business, will gladly fund a sure thing.

The fact is that no one knows if federal funding for additional embryonic stem cell research will ever save even one life.

An additional fact is that embryonic stem cell research beyond the stem cell lines eligible for federal funding is not illegal in the U.S. Davis apparently wants Newsweek readers to believe Bush has made it so. He couldn’t even if he wanted to — he doesn’t have the authority.

Davis concludes:

“…never let anyone call our hopes ‘false.””

Maybe not her hopes. But her writing sure is.