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Federal money to fund human embryonic stem cell research approved
May 3rd, 2011
Catholic Online (www.catholic.org)
An appeals court ruled that the Obama administration can continue using federal money to fund deadly human embryonic stem cell research. The appeals court overturned a ruling by a federal judge who found that the U.S. National Institutes of Health, or NIH guidelines on such research violated the law because human embryos were destroyed. Embryonic Stem cell research kills.
LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - The Catholic Church and many others insist the embryonic stem cell research is unacceptable under any condition because it destroys human embryonic life. Everytime a stem cell is "extracted" a human embryo is killed.
Proponents allege that these stem cells which come from days-old human embryonic persons and can produce any type of cell in the body. Some scientists hope the application of such research can address spinal cord injuries, cancer, diabetes and diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.
However, the potential of using adult stem cells for similar research has already been proven. Adult stem cell research does not involve the taking of innocent human life. It is a moral approach.Embryonic stem cell research has produced none of the claimed results and is always intrinsically eveil. It uses human embryonic persons for parts. The question must be asked, why does this administration continue to promote embryonic stem cell research?
U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth blocked the taxpayer funding last summer. His decision was put on hold pending appeal, so federal funding continued after the White House warned research costing millions of dollars would be lost if halted.
A panel of three judges of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, all appointed by Republican presidents, voted 2-1 to vacate Lamberth's injunction, saying the challengers were unlikely to win on the merits. The majority opinion ruled that the U.S. law was "ambiguous" and "did not prohibit funding a research project in which an ESC (embryonic stem cell) will be used,"
"This is a momentous day -- not only for science, but for the hopes of thousands of patients and their families who are relying on NIH-funded scientists to pursue life-saving discoveries and therapies that could come from stem cell research," NIH Director Francis Collins said in a statement.Of course, those who recognize the dignity of every human life, including embryonic human life, disagree. It is a day for mourning and has led to a widespread outcry in the Pro-Life community.
U.S. President Barack Obama expanded federal funding for research involving human embryonic stem cells. He claimed it could lead to cures for diseases shortly after taking office in 2009. Of course, the Pro-Life community properly opposed embryonic stem cell research.
The U.S. law on embryonic stem cell research funding prohibits the NIH from funding the creation of human embryos for research or the research in which a human embryo is destroyed, leading the judges to argue over its true intent.