GE subsidiary to use human embryonic stem cells for drug testing

News Resources Tools Columns Documents ACI Group

Contenidos del sub-menu

Comments: 11

London, England, Jul 11, 2009 / 04:09 am (CNA).- GE Healthcare has formed a biotech partnership to develop products based on human embryonic stem cells in hopes that their use will replace lab rats in drug development and toxic drug tests.

The British-based medical research subsidiary of General Electric, GE Healthcare on June 30 announced a multi-year alliance with Geron Corporation to have Geron provide GE scientists with an undisclosed amount of human embryonic stem cells.

According to CNSNews.com, GE Healthcare has said it hopes testing which uses human embryonic cells will spare lab rats from potentially toxic drug evaluations.

"This could replace, to a large extent, animal trials," said Konstantin Fiedler, general manager of cell technologies at GE Healthcare. “Once you have human cells and you can get them in a standardized way, like you get right now, your lab rats in a standardized way, you can actually do those experiments on those cells.”

A Geron/GE news release said that cells derived from human embryos have “similar attributes to their counterparts in the body” and can be used to predict “many pharmacological characteristics of a drug candidate.”

The cells were reportedly derived from embryonic stem cell lines listed on the National Institutes of Health Human Pluripotent Stem Cell Registry. The registry contains stem-cell lines approved under President George W. Bush’s policies established in 2001 to allow and regulate funding of embryonic stem cell research.

The Geron and GE Healthcare said they acknowledge the “considerable debate” and “take very seriously the ethical and societal issues associated with research using stem cells derived from embryonic or fetal tissue.

“We conduct our research in an ethically and scientifically responsible manner," they remarked.

Dr. David Prentice, a senior fellow for life science at the Family Research Council, told CNSNews.com that embryos must be killed before stem cells can be derived from them. He said research on them is “ethically irresponsible and scientifically unworthy, as well as useless for patients.”

Prentice also questioned whether drug testing on animals would really be replaced, as many drugs are metabolized in the liver and other parts of the body.

“Treating just cells in culture will give you some idea of toxicity or perhaps effectiveness on a certain cell type, but will not actually work for the whole organ, or the entire system, or the organism,” he told CNSNews.com.

Comments: 11

Subscriber comments:

Published by: Dan
San Diego 07/14/2009 07:18 PM EST

Any of you get around to reading the article?

Published by: JP
NY, NY USA 07/14/2009 07:31 AM EST

I own a couple of stocks in GE as of yesterday. Today, I sell.

Published by: Dan
San Diego 07/13/2009 08:07 PM EST

Did any of you read the article?? Probably stopped at the title, right?
Well, it's possible to actually read the article and find the line "The cells were reportedly derived from embryonic stem cell lines listed on the National Institutes of Health Human Pluripotent Stem Cell Registry. The registry contains stem-cell lines approved under President George W. Bush’s policies".
So, for those who forgot to go to class, that means they are CELL LINES and their use does not destroy an embryo. Wow, crazy comments on here..

Published by: Jim
Herndon, VA 07/13/2009 10:52 AM EST

How sad. A once-great company that I used to work for has come to this. Under the leadership of Jefferey Immelt:
1. GE has continued to do business with the terror regime of Iran; supplying them with much needed cash at a time when their Quds forces have supplied and trained Iraqi Shiites on the use of Self-Forming IED's (the most deadly) that have directly killed American and other coalition forces.
2. GE directed it's subsidiary media company NBC news to maintain the most biased media coverage (according to the Pew Research Center) in America - coverage that helped put Obama and is radical policies in office. And
3. Now this destruction of human beings in a lab!
It is sad that I had to sell my stock in GE, but I can no longer give my money to a company that is both complicit in, and directly dealing out death.

Published by: Bob
Phila/Pa/USA 07/13/2009 06:43 AM EST

Great, the excuse to kill human embryos now is to save lab rats from suffering.

Published by: Jenna
Florida/USA 07/12/2009 09:22 AM EST

The horrendous price animals pay and have paid in suffering, terror and elongated, painful deaths (murders) is unforgivable. Our government funds these evil tests and experiments, or mandates them to the huge corporations whose only goal is profit, NOT one OUNCE of compassion for the helpless animals upon whom they torment. Disgusting. Of course they should use human cells/cultures....Leave the poor animals alone!!!

Published by: Kathy
Chicago 07/12/2009 07:28 AM EST

I will NEVER buy a GE product again.

Published by: Erika
USA 07/11/2009 12:28 PM EST

Our family will certainly be boycotting all GE products if they follow through with this very unethical and irresponsible research.

Published by: Edward G. Stafford
Brigantine, NJ USA 07/11/2009 08:53 AM EST

Time to dump your shares in GE. For this type of research, non-embryonic stem cells would be fine. There is absolutely no reason for this.

Published by: Teresa N
Acampo/CA/USA 07/11/2009 07:57 AM EST

Animals were created to support human life. Is GE Health not ending human life to protect animals? This is clearly morally wrong.

Published by: William Flatt Sr. SFO
Radcliff, Ky. USA 07/11/2009 06:39 AM EST

Something is terribly wrong when the life of lab rats becomes more inportant than Human life. The sanctity of Human life has become something of less importance and that is a very serious sin against our Lord. I can picture Jesus with a tear slowly running down His cheek because of the casual disregard people have towards Human life. All I can say is that we all need to pray and pray hard for forgivness and conversion.

ADD A COMMENT (Your e-mail will NOT be published):


NAME:
CITY/STATE/COUNTRY:
EMAIL:
COMMENT:

PLEASE ENTER THE SECURITY CODE DISPLAYED ABOVE:
Chars:

* Thanks for your comments. The number of messages that can be online is limited. Length should not exceed 1500 characters. CNA reserves the right to edit messages for content and tone. Comments and opinions expressed by users do not necessarily reflect the opinions or beliefs of CNA. CNA will not publish comments with abusive language, insults or links to other pages.

ADVERTISING
CNA does not necessarily endorse these advertisers. Please proceed with discretion. If you feel that a website announced has inappropriate or offensive content, please send it by e-mail to catholicna@catholicna.com