Gabriel's Corner

From the "Life Issues Forum" by Mary E. McClusky, Special Projects Coordinator at the Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops:

"Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain," mutters the ordinary man posing as the great and powerful Oz in the classic movie "The Wizard of Oz." This scene recently became reality on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" when Oprah's star doctor and regular guest, Dr. Mehmet Oz, appeared alongside actor, Parkinson's disease victim and embryonic stem cell research proponent, Michael J. Fox. 

As Dr. Oz explained how Parkinson's disease affects the brain, he broke from Fox's normal talking points by embracing scientific integrity and said: "I think, Oprah, the stem cell debate is dead, and I'll tell you why: The problem with embryonic stem cells is that embryonic stem cells come from embryos, like all of us are made from embryos, and those cells can become any cell in the body, but it's very hard to control them and so they can become cancer." Oz then informed the stunned Fox and Winfrey that with recent advances in adult stem cell research, including the use of induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells (embryonic-like stem cells reverted from their adult state) Parkinson's disease may be cured in the next decade.

The above statement came out of our Iowa Catholic Conference web site which is a site that portrays the voice of all 4 Bishops of the Catholic Church in Iowa.