It's a debate that's not going to go away: how should stem cells be used - if at all - in medical research? Australia is at the leading edge of that debate as one of a handful of countries to have a publicly funded stem cell research institute, and has produced more than its share of vociferous campaigners on either side of its long-running and sometimes acrimonious drama. Somewhere in the middle of all the shot and shell stands Dr Elizabeth Finkel, biochemist turned journalist and author of this lucid and detailed summation of the whole issue and the problems it's thrown up so far.
And problems there are; among them, at what point can an embryo be considered a human being with a right to life, and when does harvesting stem cells from that embryo for research or regenerative medicine deny that right? Then there are the perceived risks of cloning, including a sudden proliferation of menacing cities and towns of perfect children.
Stem Cells addresses each of the major issues of stem cell research. The book is divided into three parts: the first deals with the history and the ethical problems of the subject; the second looks at how the field has evolved in Australia; and the third reviews the possible benefits and difficulties of the technology.
The opening chapter is especially useful for anyone who has perhaps not kept pace with the headlines. It recaps evenhandedly the points of view of the pro- and anti-research camps, neatly summarising the levels and types of controls placed on this new science by the governments of developed countries and listing the views of all the major faiths.
The second part of the book, which deals with the stem cell science and the Australian context and experience, lifts its tempo from historical narrative to become a much faster paced section of compelling investigative journalism.
Readers are introduced to leading researchers, as well as people with diseases that may respond to regenerative medicine.
Crucially, this section explains the important differences between adult and embryonic stem cells, and between reproductive and regenerative cloning.
For almost all of its second half, Stem Cells examines a range of serious conditions - including Parkinson's disease and diabetes - and how these might be treated with stem cells. For that alone, it's worth the purchase price. If you're interested in the fact behind the furore surrounding the research, try Stem Cells - but remember to leave your prejudices behind.
