An Important New Book: Stem Cell Wars

Submitted by NYGaribaldi on Tue, 09/19/2006 - 06:27

As one of the subjects of this impoprtant new book, Stem Cell Wars, I can tell you that it is an important teaching tool on how the Religious Right uses obfuscation and false-facts to win its arguments. Read it and learn!---NYGaribaldi

Religious Right Falsehoods Slammed in Eve Herold's 'Stem Cell Wars: Inside Stories from the Frontlines'

9/18/2006 10:50:00 AM

To: Metro Desk, Religion Reporter

Contact: Bernard Siegel of the Genetics Policy Institute, 305-801-4928 or bernard@genpol.org

WASHINGTON, Sept. 18 /U.S. Newswire/ -- On Sept. 19, Palgrave Macmillan publishers will release "Stem Cell Wars: Inside Stories from the Frontlines" written by Eve Herold, director of public policy research at the Genetics Policy Institute (GPI), a leading advocacy organization. Prominent Harvard stem cell researcher, Dr. George Q. Daley, wrote the foreword -- http://www.stemcellwars.com.

"This book persuasively states the case for embryonic stem cell research. It is significant that the book is endorsed by Ron Reagan, Senator Dianne Feinstein, Dr. John Gearhart of Johns Hopkins Medicine, Don Reed, president of Californians for Cures and June Walker, the president of Hadassah," said Bernard Siegel, executive director of the Genetics Policy Institute.

The book reveals numerous untold stories about the stem cell policy wars, including:

-- What the anti-stem cell research activists don't want you to know: that embryonic stem cell research could go forward full steam ahead without there ever being another abortion.

-- How social-conservative organizations are turning the U.S. into a second-tier nation in scientific research.

-- A minority of religious organizations have created the illusion that being anti-research is the only view of the religious community. Nothing could be further from the truth.

-- How Senator Sam Brownback of Kansas, Congressman Dave Weldon of Florida and Congressman Bart Stupak of Michigan foisted on the puzzled Washington press corps a "science fiction workshop" filled with outrageous tales about stem cell research to advance his bill that would imprison researchers and patients seeking cures.

-- New criticism of scientist David Prentice, a functionary of the religious right's Family Research Council, who was previously criticized in the journal "Science" for exaggerating adult stem cell claims.

-- How Congressman Dave Weldon, one of the most outspoken opponents of stem cell research, exploited a young woman afflicted with paralysis to exaggerate his incorrect claims that adult stem cells treatments were curing spinal cord injury.

-- How Senator George Allen's office bought into unfounded fears of the religious right that scientific research might cause man to regress to an ape-like state.

-- The inside story of the Bush Administration and the religious right's attempt to ban stem cell research (nuclear transfer) worldwide by global treaty in the United Nations and how they almost pulled it off, but for the surprising fight waged by determined grassroots stem cell activists.

-- The untold story of how the Raelians and Clonaid tried to fool the world that they had cloned the first human.

-- An "inside the bunker" account of the fall of Korea's Dr. Woo Suk Hwang and lessons to be learned for patients and policymakers.

"GPI is very proud that Eve Herold has written the first book unabashedly pro-patient and pro-cures that sets the record straight on this huge wedge issue in American politics," Siegel said.

For more information on the Genetics Policy Institute see http://www.genpol.org.

http://www.usnewswire.com/

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