The debate over stem cell research is raging across the nation and echoing through chambers of Congress and state legislatures. Most people have heard just enough to offer an opinion to friends and neighbors; yet, the information they receive is incomplete and often inaccurate.

Every new study about embryonic stem cells produces an onslaught of optimistic articles confidently proclaiming that with just a little more time and a lot more public money, embryonic stem cells will provide cures for dozens of diseases and hope for millions of sick patients. Meanwhile, stories highlighting adult stem cell successes seem less optimistic and much less prominent. Casual observers might reasonably conclude that embryonic stem cells hold the most promise while adult stem cells are of secondary interest. They would be wrong.

Embryonic stem cells are often touted as the most promising research option because they are a "blank slate" capable of differentiating (changing and specializing) into all the cells of the body. Less well known is that adult stem cells also have the ability to change into every kind of cell, tissue and organ in the body. Yes, you read that correctly: One of the main reasons embryonic stem cells are flaunted as the gold standard in research is their ability to change into every cell type. Yet, adult stem cells have the same capacity.
In other words, adult stem cells can do everything embryonic stem cells can do:

1. Adult stem cells are flexible: Like embryonic stem cells, they can change into every type of cell. Researchers often refer to this ability as pluripotency.
2. The flexibility of adult stem cells shows new potential to treat disease. Studies demonstrate that in addition to diseases already being treated with adult stem cells, the recently discovered and often ignored flexibility of adult stem cells offers additional possibilities to cure disease.
3. Contrary to the exclusive claims of embryonic stem cell proponents, the following compilation of research demonstrates the flexibility of adult stem cells to transform into a wide range of specialized cells — just like embryonic ones.

Read more about this topic in the Bioethics/Sanctity of Life section of www.focusonsocialissues.org.

Copyright © 2005 Focus on the Family All rights reserved. International copyright secured.