It looks like the Canadian Diabetes Association is performing damage control after Lifesite's article that it supports embryonic stem cell research.
The Lifesite article reports:
A reply to a query by LifeSiteNews.com elicited an emailed response from "Susan" at the Canadian Diabetes Association Contact Centre who said that the Association "does not currently fund embryonic stem cell research" as of 2004-5.
"All stem cell work funded by the Association is with cells derived from non-embryonic tissues." Susan specified the promise shown by transplant research using pancreatic islet cells as an example of adult stem cell research in diabetes. This treatment involves, however, replacing a patient's islet cells with differentiated donor cells, not stem cells.
Susan went on to write that while the Association "recognizes the need to be respectful of the varying perspectives held by the Canadian public on this sensitive issue," it supports the "Canadian government's direction" on the use of embryos in research.
So I wrote the Canadian Diabetes Association to tell them that I won't be giving them any used articles for them to pick up.
So how do they respond?
They give me the exact same information that Lifesite published, and try to act like what Lifesite published was wrong or misconstrued:
Dear Friend of CDA,
Thank you for contacting the Canadian Diabetes Association.
Please allow me to apologize for the misconstrued message you had seen at the following link: http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2007/aug/07082308.html.
Please see the official response we had sent to the email which generated the information contained within the link included above.
· Stem cell research holds great potential for the treatment of a number of serious conditions, including diabetes. Ongoing research work regarding the transplantation of pancreatic islet cells is also showing promising results.
· The Canadian Diabetes Association recognizes the need to be respectful of the varying perspectives held by the Canadian public on this sensitive issue.
· The Canadian Diabetes Association supports the Canadian government’s direction regarding stem cell research in Canada.
· The Canadian Diabetes Association does not currently fund embryonic stem cell research (ie research grants 2004-5) All stem cell work funded by the Association is with cells derived from non-embryonic tissues.
· Any future embryonic or stem cell related research applications to the Association will be required to meet the requirements of the Act Respecting Assisted Human Reproduction and Related Research.
· All researchers funded by the Association are also governed by the guidelines of their resident institution, including ethical and biohazard guidelines and guidelines concerning the use of animals.
· Applications for funding are selected based on merit and a stringent peer-reviewed process by Canadian and international scientific experts.
So they send me a statement, which I can plainly observe, is IDENTICAL to the information sent by Lifesite.
And I'm "miscontruing" the response?
No. They do not seem to get it.
If the Canadian Diabetes Association is open to funding embryonic stem cell research, I will not give them any money.
If you would like to express your concern regarding the CDA's support of embryonic stem cell research, email them.
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