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Opinion-Embryonic
Stem Cell Research is Unethical, Dangerous and Unnecessary.
Don Nelson and Keith
Shonnard, MD
Reno Gazette Journal
March 22, 2009
President Obama's decision to lift taxpayer funding limits
on embryonic stem cell research will encourage more human
embryo destruction. This is bad policy. Embryonic stem
cell research is unethical, dangerous and unnecessary.
It's unethical because obtaining embryonic stem cells
requires killing human embryos. This reduces human life to
a raw resource and commodity.
Killing human embryos is wrong because the human embryo is
one of us, biologically human, whole and unique,
possessing a human nature with inherent capacities of
fully functioning adults.
Supporters scoff at our belief in the value of such tiny
humans. However, if the value and rights of humans depends
on their developmental progress, then there are no
inherent human rights, no true human equality, only
privileges for the strong. Being human should be enough to
possess human rights.
Embryonic stem cell opponents are often called
anti-science and anti-patient. It's an increasingly
difficult charge to substantiate. After $2 billion and 20
years of embryonic stem cell research, there are no human
benefits, and embryonic stem cells are still too dangerous
to use in humans because they form tumors. New research
shows we may never be able to tell which embryonic stem
cells will lead to tumors.
Embryonic stem cell research is also unnecessary.
Nonembryonic stem cell research using stem cells from
umbilical cord blood, a person's own stem cells and other
sources is flourishing and has produced over 70 successes.
There are well over 1,000 trials. It does not require
embryo destruction nor share its tumor-forming tendencies.
Right now, treatments for spinal cord injuries, diabetes,
Parkinson's, cancer, heart disease, multiple sclerosis, as
well as bladder and windpipe replacement, have happened or
are advancing with nonembryonic stem cell research. These
are treatments for the very ailments promised by embryonic
stem cell supporters.
That's not all. In 2007, scientists created stem cells
with the same properties as embryonic stem cells by
reprogramming skin cells back to an embryonic state.
Scientists now have stem cells with the properties they
said they wanted -- without destroying human life. It's
cheaper, easier and more efficient. Dolly the sheep cloner
Ian Wilmut says it's the greatest discovery since the
double helix structure of DNA and deserves a Nobel Prize.
Embryonic stem cell research is unnecessary and there's
extraordinary progress and promise without it.
Embryonic stem cell research is also dangerous because it
leads to cloning -- using the same technique to create
Dolly the sheep -- and to human exploitation. For
embryonic research to succeed, cloning will be required to
provide genetic matches to avoid tissue rejection. Since
cloning requires unfertilized eggs, billions of
unfertilized eggs will be required to provide cures for
the 125 million American sufferers who could benefit,
leading to human embryo farms and surgical assembly lines
for egg extraction. This isn't the sound science the
president spoke of.
We agree with the Catholic bishops: "We must pursue
progress in ethically responsible ways that respect the
dignity of each human being. Only this will produce cures
and treatments that everyone can live with."
Don Nelson is president of Nevada LIFE. Keith Shonnard,
MD, represents the Northern Nevada Guild of the Catholic
Medical Association. |
