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Pres. Reagan's Son Preserves Father's Pro-Life Legacy, Says Focus on the Family; Michael Reagan Decries 'Junk Science' of Embryonic Stem-Cell Research 6/22/2004 3:40:00 PM COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., June 22, 2004/U.S. Newswire/ -- Focus on the Family Senior Policy Analyst for Bioethics Carrie Gordon Earll issued the following statement today regarding a new column by Michael Reagan, son of former President Ronald Reagan, regarding destructive embryonic stem-cell research: "Today, Michael Reagan gives voice to his father's pro-life legacy and reiterates the senior Reagan's well-established view on the sanctity of all human life. In his column entitled, 'I'm With My Dad on Stem Cell Research,' posted at http://www.reagan.com, Reagan reminds readers of his father's belief in the 'transcendent right to life of all human beings.' "Reagan also points to the 'junk science' of embryonic stem- cell research, in part revealed in the statements of Alzheimer's disease researchers who note that embryonic stem cells are unlikely to yield a cure to the disease that eventually took President Reagan's life. The column refers to a June 10, 2004 Washington Post article in which National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke researcher, Ronald D.G. McKay, described the promotion of embryonic stem-cell research for Alzheimer's disease as 'a fairy tale.' "In reality, the true hope for many diseases, including diabetes and Parkinson's disease, rest with non-embryonic stem- cell sources. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) reports funding 330 human clinical trials using non-embryonic stem-cell sources and identifies 74 treatable diseases using these cells in therapy. According to the NIH, there are currently no human clinical trials or proven therapies using embryonic stem cells. "Focus on the Family supports the vast majority of stem-cell research utilizing non-embryonic stem-cell sources, including umbilical cord blood, bone marrow and other sources of adult stem cells. The destruction of human embryos for research is immoral, unethical and unnecessary. We will continue to oppose embryonic stem-cell research as well as political attempts to force taxpayers to fund the destruction of embryos for new stem cell lines." --- To: National Desk Contact: David Gasak of Focus on the Family, 719-548-4570 or Culturalissues@family.org
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