It's not all about humans

A trend I've often noticed is that we humans tend to think we're the top of the heap and focus on our needs and concerns almost exclusively. So it is with the stem cell issue. We are using mice for experiments, but don't much care about the injuring of a spinal cord so a scientist can test stem cells for their ability to reverse the damage. We argue about when human life begins and pay attention to cloning of sheep, pigs, cats, and dogs mostly because they imply humans could be next.

Meanwhile, research is going on with animals for the sake of the animals. The article I received today focuses on stem cell treatment of horses and gives an excellent summary of stem cell research and how it works: http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/care/402/69097.html

The irony, of course, is that the horse treated in this story is a thoroughbred--created, cared for, and stem cell treated by and for humans.

Marie Godfrey, PhD