Stem Cell Research: Medical Applications and Ethical Controversy.

Stem Cell Research: Medical Applications and Ethical Controversy. STEM CELL RESEARCH: MEDICAL APPLICATIONS AND ETHICAL CONTROVERSY AUTHOR: Joseph Panno PUBLISHER: Checkmark Books, NY, 2006, 130 pp plus glossary,suggested readings and index. ISBN: 978 0 8160 69316, $18.95. Wherever you are in your knowledge of stem cell research and thepossibilities for their use in medicine and whatever your views on theethics of stem cell work, it never will hurt to review many of theconcepts and the many sides of the debate on whether to use stem cellsor if so which ones to use. Panno provides an excellent primer on thistopic. His style is certainly down-to-earth, easy to read and to follow.He avoids jargon but not to the point of giving up needed information.The book is essentially divided into three parts. It begins with adiscussion of stem cells, their sources (embryonic and adult) and theirmedical applications. For example, today at least one form of leukemiais being treated with stem cells. The second section nearly as long asthe first deals with the ethical and legal questions that arise fromwork with stem cells. One of the more important of these centers on thequestion of when a fertilized egg is, for our discussion, a human. Ifyou follow religious canons, you may be surprised not only do differentsects have different definitions of when the egg is human but thatwithin a given religion, this definition has changed over time, not justin recent times, but during the millennia. It behooves all of us to takenote of these positions to try to find our own beliefs. Belief is a keyword here. Science cannot answer that question. If churches havemodified the definition of life, we need to accept the fact that this isan extremely difficult question to discuss, let alone try to answer.Panno provides us with many views both ethical and legal to helpunderstand the question. He cannot answer it for you. The third section is a very short but lucid synopsis of some of thebiochemistry that underpins much of stem cell work. I like the idea thathe puts it third. It is not necessary to know this material tounderstand what Panno has to say about stem cell research. The illustrations are shades of grey but more than adequate for ourneeds. I heartily encourage you to spend time with this book. I canimagine a lunch-and-learn series on the topic with different folks eachweek being responsible for leading the discussion of a chapter orportion of one. Book reviews are written by David Plaut, 3609 Cross Bend, Plano, TX75023. davidplaut@yahoo.com