Stem cell research is finally passed in NSW. Whether or not you agree with the process of obtaining the stem cells, there are more disturbing moral dilemmas to consider for the future.

In the US Supreme Court in 2002, it was passed that a multi national corporation had the right to own a living DNA, and had the right to collect for copyright royalties, or sue for theft those with their DNA genes in their possession.

Monsanto has sued over 100 farmers in the US for their GM seeds being grown on their farms, seeds that were not purchaced. These were not seeds that the farmers wanted, they were seeds spread by birds, the wind and so on. So Monsanto makes a profit from suing farmers for copyright and this is a major profit making exercise.

They even employ GM police.

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines05/0115-04.htm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FFwsCr9c-4&mode=related&search=

The Gattica crisis is that there are a few colliding agendas.

Science is looking for cures to diseases, ways to detect disease, even before birth, giving us the option to abort and ways to produce clones for organ transplants.

Under the US laws of Copyright, any gene you are implanted with from such research has a copyright, and royalties can be charged. You cannot live without that organ, so the company "owns" you.

You want a genetically improved baby? The genes will be an improvement, but the company will legally own his or her DNA.

The other agendas include the detection of the gay gene, HIV genes, and HIV traits. Note that the cure for HIV is not the priority, detecting its genes that respond to treatment, is. This enables company products to be more effective and competitive, making more profit.

An assault on gay America, or improving ways to farm them?

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/assault/genetics

I suspect this is the real issue is who owns our bodies? Are they to be farmed by other humans?

Then there could be discrimination against those not owned by corporations.

Gattica

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7OYCmynrRU

It is imperative that we do the research on stem cell possibilities. It may provide a cornucopia of medical breakthroughs. To bury your head in the sand on this is akin to agreeing the world is flat. Stem cell research can only enhance our knowledge and raise us a little further from our current state of ignorance. It seems to me that the opponents to this research would love to return us to some sort of medieval closet away from the light.

saintfletcher

I thought about refuting your spurious argument, but couldn't be bothered.

The issue is over, dead, defunct, if you hadn't nailed it to a perch etc. It is research.

Amen.

Australians are under the influence of the USA, it is illustrated in their use of the American language, from viewing American TV and watching American movies from early childhood.
The Australian consumer and those with a business bent, aspire to be more like the competitive and aggressive American way of doing business, and being manipulated by American style advertising.
The Howard government,s signing up to the FTA with America, and it,s blind loyalty to Bush's military ambitions, has focused Australian eyes more and more on America.
American corporations are hedging their bets on futuristic scientific research and new technologies to market genetic products in the medical world. They already have reached their ambitions re GM food.
If Australia can produce medically applied therapeutic stem cell procedures, and keep them wholly Australian, there is a chance that all Australians will benefit. I am not optimistic, because it will take too big of a turn around, for Australians to think Australian and not American.
You would be right in thinking me anti American, I am.