Byrne Chastises Politics

"Most of the public is illiterate enough when it comes to science. To compound it by twisting science for political purposes doesn't help."

Truer words were never spoken. That's the closing line from a Chicago Tribune-published Op-Ed piece by Dennis Byrne.

Byrne, covering the stem cell debate, discusses the political motivations on all sides for attacking and supporting different stem cell research agendas. Embryonic stem cells are controversial--particularly with those who have religious objections to their use--and that's led to some interesting claims about the efficacy of alternatives, including umbilical cord blood.

Byrne argues that non-ESC (embryonic stem cell) options aren't yet entirely proven and that one should take the pro-life argument with a grain of salt. At the same time, he observes that the arguments made in favor of ESC research often have deep flaws, too.

It's a good read.