Thank you,thank you,it was nothing.

[Matthew X]

MPs see video of rat's stem-cell cure
By Mark Metherell
August 20 2002





The laptop video Stephen Alderton took to Parliament yesterday showed a 
white rat freed from paralysis by embryonic stem-cell treatment.

It is first seen crawling, dragging its crippled rear legs. Then, between 
12 and 24 weeks after embryonic stem cell therapy started, the rat begins 
walking, its back legs limping, but operating.

Mr Alderton and his wife, Alison, displayed the video in Canberra in the 
hope it might lead to similar treatment for their son Luke, aged 2. Luke 
was paralysed from the neck down two years ago by a rare spinal disease 
called transverse myelitis.

The Nowra couple yesterday appeared with the Premier, Bob Carr, the Federal 
Opposition Leader, Simon Crean, and a group of scientists and patients who 
came to persuade wavering MPs to vote for the embryonic stem-cell provisions.

Debate on the controversial legislation, the Research Involving Embryos and 
Prohibition of Human Cloning Bill, is expected to start tonight.

On the other side of the debate yesterday were two scientists who have come 
from the United States to campaign against embryo research. One is William 
Hurlbut, a consulting professor at Stanford University and a member of 
President George Bush's council on bioethics.

The other, David Prentice, a professor of life sciences at Indiana State 
University, said evidence backing embryonic stem-cell research was 
overshadowed by results from less contentious adult stem-cell work.

Professor Prentice says beyond the "profound" ethical problems with embryo 
research, the evidence in favour of alternatives such as adult cells was 
"compelling". He argues that while embryonic stem-cell research had the 
"nasty habit of forming tumours", adult cells had been shown to be 
effective in treating various "animal models of human disease".

These, he said, included diabetes, stroke, Parkinson's disease, spinal cord 
injury, heart disease and retinal degeneration.

Australia's leading embryonic stem cell scientist, Alan Trounson, rejects 
Professor Prentice's claims, arguing the reports of tumours came from 
isolated and questionable results. Research results from adult stem cells 
so far had been mixed or not very encouraging, Professor Trounson said

The video came from scientists at Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, who 
told the Aldertons there may be hope for Luke within five years from the 
research. "I'm the first to say its not perfect [research]," said Mr Alderton.

"It's a rat and it's not walking perfectly. But it's research you have to 
have."
http://smh.com.au/articles/2002/08/19/1029114078190.html