Researchers have discovered what they’re calling a "DNA vaccine" that may someday slow or even halt the progress of multiple sclerosis.
Although MS has been cited as a reason to pour money into life-destroying embryonic stem-cell research – the new treatment was developed without that research.
Multiple sclerosis is a condition in which the body’s immune system attacks the myelin coating around nerve fibers in the brain. Dr. Amit Bar-Or told Family News in Focus he has developed a way to manipulate the body’s DNA to reduce the attack on that protective coating.
“The idea of these DNA-vaccine approaches would be to modulate or suppress just those cells that you might consider the bad guys cells, while sparing the rest of the immune system.”
Dawn Vargo, associate bioethics analyst at Focus on the Family Action, said such research shows the promise of life-affirming research.
“Proponents of embryonic stem-cell research would like us to believe that this kind of life-destroying research is necessary to help treat patients suffering from diseases like Multiple Sclerosis," she said. “This new research demonstrates that we can pursue options and treatments that are not life-destroying in order to treat patients.”
David Prentice, senior fellow for life sciences at Family Research Council, said there’s a lesson in the discovery.
“Unethical science tends to be a poisoned fruit. You don’t need to go that direction. The adult stem cells and these other nonembryonic types of treatments are the ones where the real success happens,” he said. “There’s a real truth here in terms of the natural order of things, and when you start to go against God’s order, it just doesn’t pay off.”
