Story Of Bogo

When BOGO Wines was launched in the summer of 2005, the thought was to spend 90% of the time selling fine wines and 10% of the time discussing Adult Stem Research. These time amounts have been reversed. Never in my wildest dreams did I think the stem cell issue was one that could be so misunderstood and misrepresented by the mainstream media, our political system, and researchers.

The original plan of BOGO was to sell the wines in grocery stores nationwide. Everything from the design, the packaging, price-point, and the profile of the wines was meticulously developed to address a retail presence. Little did I know that BOGO would be deemed controversial and unfit for the store shelves in the mainstream marketplace. In the Greater Cleveland area, where BOGO Wines first hit grocery shelves, people demanded that the wine be pulled from the shelves because it was controversial.

The reason for the propagating of lies and misinformation of the general public is none other than money. There is money to be made and reputations are staked on making that money through medical patents involving embryonic stem cell lines. The medical community has long been touting and trumpeting the potential of embryonic stem cell research and how these cells can develop into any cell within the human body if cultured correctly. It is important to remember that embryonic stem cells are unpredictable and often lead to uncontrollable, cancerous growth and tumor formation; thus they cannot be safely used in human patients.

Many researchers will not admit the futility of embryonic stem cells in treating human beings, as they have for years touted this research. Admitting failure is professional suicide. One researcher who has made an admission of the truth is James Thomson, a researcher at the University of Wisconsin. He was quoted as saying: “Major roadblocks remain before human embryonic stem cells could be transplanted into humans to cure diseases or replace injured body parts…such breakthroughs are nearly decades away.” Another researcher, Lord Winston, a British stem cell expert said, “I am not entirely convinced that embryonic stem cells will, in my lifetime, and possibly anybody’s lifetime for that matter, be holding quite the promise that we desperately hope they will.”

That being said, why bother with something that, at absolute best, is decades away, while adult stem cell research provides cures today? Money is why. In 1980 a law known as Bayh-Dole was passed, allowing scientists to patent the results of publicly funded research. For example, researchers may form biotech companies to develop patents jointly held with their university, or they may sell their patents to biotech or pharmaceutical firms. If there are any successes in embryonic research, these can be sold to the highest bidder, governments included.

Researchers are promising results and touting the potential of embryonic research to sway the general public to allow public money for their research. Governments are hoping to purchase these patents if there are any breakthroughs, which is why they are readily willing to spend tax dollars with the hopes of owning patents worth billions of dollars in cures. To help secure funding for this research the general public needs convincing to support it. Lord Winston said, “One of the problems is that in order to persuade the public that we must do this work, we often go rather far in promising what we might achieve…”. Remember he was the one who also said “I am not entirely convinced that embryonic stem cells will, in my lifetime, and possibly anybody’s lifetime for that matter, be holding quite the promise that we desperately hope they will.” Amazingly, this type of dishonesty is justified by Ron McKay of the National Institute of Health, as in a June 2004 interview with the Washington Post, he said, “People need a fairy tale. Maybe that’s unfair, but they need a story line that’s relatively simple to understand.”

Opposite of the embryonic stem cell conflict is ADULT stem cell research, which currently is able to treat over 70 different diseases and conditions. There is no money to be made on research, as there are no patents to be developed, due to the fact that the cells being used are those of the patients or donated by healthy individuals. Adult stem cell research is responsible for all positive developments made with stem cells. The mainstream media does not report these gains or breakthroughs, rather, they focus only on the potential of embryonic stem cell research. Please see the Adult Stem Cell Facts and corresponding links for more information.

Through these unforeseen challenges and setbacks, my desire and commitment to adult stem cell research has only deepened. What began as selling good wine for a good cause has turned into the fight of my life to educate and promote the saving powers of adult stem cell research, and to uncover the scam that is embryonic stem cell research. Along the way, I have been blessed to meet passionate and hard-working people who want to fulfill the potential and promise of adult stem cell research. I am honored to be included in such a fellowship.

Thank you for your support of BOGO Wines and Two Hearts Hand-Crafted Confections. Together we are making a difference.