THE GOD CELLS
(a film review by Mark R. Leeper)

CAPSULE: THE GOD CELLS surveys the contentious debate on
the value of fetal stem cells in treating serious illness
and it plants its feet clearly and unambiguously on one
side of the debate. Eric Merola was so impressed with
the results he got with stem cell treatment that he wrote
and directed this monument to the treatment. If stem
cell therapy is as good as he says, one wonders why we
are not hearing more about it from the rest of the world
where, unlike in the United States, the therapy is
legal. I cannot evaluate the medical claims Merola makes
but they are a little too extravagant to be taken at face
value. Rating: 0 (-4 to +4) or 4/10

First the basics: What is a stem cell? Every cell in a human came
from a stem cell. It is basically the raw material from which all
the different kinds of cells descend. All the cells of a multi-
cell organism had their origin as stem cells. The fetus of a child
has a multitude of stem cells, more than are needed by the baby.
These cells are present in the early period of a fetus, but they
are material that does not get used in the making of the baby. In
the process of aborting a baby these cells that would not have
become baby are discarded as medical waste as if they had no value.
These cells can, however, be collected and used to create in a
laboratory (in vitro) many other kinds of cells that would be
useful in medicine, but almost always they are discarded. This
question of whether to use the cells gives rise to religious,
ethical, and social issues. It is considered an unnatural use of
human fetuses. The concerns have to be weighed against the
potential these cells would have to save and restore human life.
There is a question of the ethics of using biological material
taken from human fetuses to save or improve other people's lives.
Eric Merola wrote and directed THE GOD CELLS, a documentary
examining the controversy stemming from the controversy of stem
cell research.

This is partly a startling documentary and part a hard sell on the
medical benefits of fetal stem cell treatment for, well, just about
anything that needs fixing. Apparently stem cells injected in a
patient will find what needs to be repaired and will go there. THE
GOD CELLS starts with testimonials of people helped or virtually
cured from very bad diseases like cystic fibrosis and by the end of
the film it is presenting the view that the treatment is good for
just about whatever ails you. In addition to the case histories of
near miraculous cures we get a short account of what fetal stem
cells are, the controversy surrounding the treatment and big
business's war against advocacy of the treatment. And always there
is the return to covering patients relating miraculous case
histories. As an odd touch nearly every case history seems to
document a return not just to vigor in general but to a favorite
sport in particular. Frequently the patient is now championship
level at the sport.

Much of the film involves the legal status of the fetal stem cell
therapy. Patients from the United States who want the treatment
find they have to go to another country to get it. Fetal stem cell
therapy, as powerful as it seems, is currently illegal on US soil.
Americans who want the treatment must go to Mexico or Canada. This
we are told is the result of a conspiracy led by the Food and Drug Administration at the behest of Big Pharmaceutical Corporations.

One point that should have been covered in the film and was not was
what is happening in Canada. In Canada stem cell therapy is legal
and by the evidence given it should really be taking that country's
medical environment by storm. That does not appear to be
happening. Why are we not hearing more about the popularity and
success of the treatment in Canada? In the end writer/director
Eric Merola reminds the audience that at times the treatment helps
little or not at all. We see no statistics. This documentary is
just the enthusiastic account of Merola who had had the treatment
and wanted to share his good news. He may well be right about the
importance of this medical treatment. His film is a little hard to
believe without more corroboration. THE GOD CELLS, with its
flamboyant title, is just a bit too fervent to be easily
distinguished from pseudo-science. I rate THE GOD CELLS a 0 on the
-4 to +4 scale scale or 4/10. THE GOD CELLS opens to limited
release in New York on June 3 and in Los Angeles on June 10.

Film Credits:
<http://www.imdb.com/title/tt5482596/combined>

What others are saying: <http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_god_cells/?search=god%20cells>


Mark R. Leeper
Copyright 2016 Mark R. Leeper

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