A few weeks ago, Rick received an article from the Parkinson’s Disease Foundation regarding a stem cell treatment pioneered in Sweden 28 years ago. It offered hope of recovery of full control of movement in a period of a few years. The US tried, but abandoned the Swede’s treatment in favor of deep brain stimulation. But that’s changing now. Good news. Right?
Members of the Parkinson’s Disease Global Force who met in New York in May to discuss the progress of this stem cell work erupted in applause when it was announced the team’s first patient had just left the operating theatre. “There’s a real sense within the community that this is a collaborative effort to make cell treatments work, and that there’s real potential to change the lives of hundreds of people worldwide.”
There is a catch.
“The transplant depends on fetal cell donations from women terminating pregnancies… It takes cells from at least three fetuses to treat each half of the brain.” That means scientists must harvest fetal cells from six aborted babies in order to treat one Parkinson’s patient. And the glowing report is, “The prospect of not having to take medications for Parkinson’s is fantastic!”
If you have been following the news, you know Planned Parenthood is embroiled in a scandal over an undercover video-taped lunchtime conversation during which a senior director of their medical services discussed selling fetal hearts, lungs and livers to the potential buyer of a human biologics company. Commercial sale of human fetal tissue is (currently) illegal under federal law, but “non-commercial tissue donation” is allowed if the woman undergoing an abortion gives her consent. Perhaps the consent form cloaks the real money-making agenda with lofty language about serving others by giving permission to use the discarded child for scientific research – or transplant.
Planned Parenthood issued an apology, and has “reprimanded the doctor”. The organization’s leadership insists “our donation programs – like any other high-quality health care providers’ – follow all laws and ethical guidelines.” But two people in the video were reported to be flippant as they talked about how fetal livers seem to be especially in demand.
Abortion is big business in our country. The federal government still sends money. And that doctor who was so eager to do business with a biologics company? She is still employed by Planned Parenthood.