The good news you never hear The Politics of Stem Cells.(Brief Article)

Editor's note. Mr. Smith, an attorney by training, is arguably the finest "popular" critic of euthanasia, including specifically assisted suicide. At the same time he strips away the reassuring rhetoric employed by pro-euthanasia forces, Smith also writes in language that the intelligent layperson can use to fight euthanasia.

In this edition of National Right to Life News, we're discussing his new book, "Culture of Death: The Assault on Medical Ethics in America." (See editorial, page 2.)

We're also reprinting with permission Mr. Smith's examination of another muddled bioethical issue.

The essay first appeared in the Weekly Standard.

Stem cells are undifferentiated "master cells" in the body that can develop into differentiated tissues, such as bone, muscle, nerve, or skin. Stem cell research may lead to exponential improvements in the treatment of many terminal and debilitating conditions, from cancer to Parkinson's to Alzheimer's to diabetes to heart disease. Indeed, breakthroughs in stem cell research reported just in the last six months take one's breath away:

* Italian scientists have generated muscle tissue using rat stem cells, a discovery that may have significant implications for organ transplant therapy.

* University of South Florida researchers report that rats genetically engineered to have strokes were injected with rat stem cells that "integrated seamlessly into the surrounding brain tissue, maturing into the type of cell appropriate for that area of the brain." The potential for stem cell treatments to alleviate stroke symptoms such as slurred speech and dizziness - - therapy that would not require surgery - - has the potential to dramatically improve the treatment of many neurological diseases.