Embryonic Stem Cell Research and Cloning are Unethical and Unnecessary

Many scientists and politicians have proposed for years that the United States taxpayer pay to create a supply of human embryos-tiny human beings in the earliest stages of life, for research. This research, called embryonic stem cell research, would require creating human beings only to kill them for their cells to be used in research.  Researchers believe that if they could take these embryonic stem cells they could turn them into any kind of cell in the body and use them to repair and regenerate tissue and cure diseases.

This Monday April 7 Nevada Right to Life speaks with Dr. David Prentice. Dr. Prentice has been a professor of life sciences at Indiana State University, professor at University of Indiana Medical School and was a key contributor to President George W. Bush’s Council on bio-ethics.  Dr. Prentice has been a leading opponent of embryonic stem cell research and cloning and a proponent of ethical (adult) stem cell research that does not require taking of human life.

One secret of embryonic stem cell research is that even if scientists used all the embryos available in fertility labs, this would not create the genetic diversity necessary for mass cures. These researchers believed that man cloning (somatic cell nuclear transfer) to create embryos for stem cells was necessary to overcome the problem of rejection and produce patient specific stem cell matches.  That is, a sufferer would be cloned and his clone would be killed to use the clone’s stem cells as therapy.  Others want to clone to birth a child.

Nevada Right to Life and the pro-life movement have opposed embryonic stem cell research and human cloning-for “therapy” or for “reproduction” (all cloning is reproductive) because it is unethical.  It requires the destruction of human lives and reduces human beings to raw materials and a commodity.  We oppose human strip mines, embryo farms and designer baby factories.

Proponents of embryonic research, with all the polish of faith healers, promised dramatic cures for spinal cord injuries, diabetes, Parkinson's, cancer, heart disease, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s and more.  There hasn’t been a therapy or cure involving embryonic stem cell research despite over two decades of animal and human research and billions of dollars spent.

But nonembryonic (or adult) 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 and tens of thousands of people benefit from it every year.  There are well over 1,000 trials and 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/adult stem cell research. Some of these are treatments for the very ailments promised by embryonic stem cell supporters.

Please join us for our conversation with Dr. David Prentice Monday April 7 on KXTO 1550 AM to discuss the ethics and dangers of embryonic stem cell research, the “political science,” Orwellian language, the impact that other ethical stem cell research is providing today as well as new attempts at human cloning announced last month in Oregon. 

Resources:

National Right to Life (Wesley Smith) Cloning Doubletalk

Keith Shonnard M.D, Don Nelson Embryonic Stem Cell Research is Unethical, Dangerous and Unnecessary

Listen to the Nevada Right to Life Show 1550 AM KXTO Mondays at 1 PM and Saturdays at 2PM.  Click here to listen on line.

Hobby Lobby Case, Religious Freedom Have Pro-Life, Abortion Implications.

Just this week the Supreme Court of the United States heard arguments in the Hobby Lobby case as to whether or not the federal government can force a for profit company or corporation to provide certain drugs through their health care plans that can cause an early abortion (not abortion drug RU 486) even when it violates their religious beliefs. 

This question is extremely important to pro-lifers.  Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts commented during the hearing that if we can force for profit companies to provide pills that can cause early abortions, the state could force doctors, who work for profit, to likewise provide abortions even if doing so would violate their religious beliefs.  If abortion advocates had their way, Catholic doctors coming into the office after attending morning Mass would be required to do abortions.

Nevada Right to Life and the pro-life movement support conscience and religious liberty protections in part because they are tremendous curbs on abortion.  86 percent of American hospitals do not perform abortions and almost all doctors do not provide abortions or refer.  The number of doctors willing to do them is down substantially since the 1990s.  Abortion advocates are facing a situation where abortion could be legal out pregnancy but they may not be able to find many to do them.

This Monday, March 31, the Nevada Right to Life Show spoke with Nevada attorney Jason Guinasso about the Hobby Lobby religious liberty case before the court on KXTO 1550 AM in Reno.  Guinasso and his wife Kim are past recipients of the Nevada Pro-Life League Heroes of Life award for successfully and courageously representing the parents of a mentally handicapped woman who faced a court ordered abortion in Reno a little over a year ago.  Mr. Guinasso is also an attorney with the Alliance Defending Life and has been a driving force behind legislation to protect religious liberty in Nevada.

Abortion advocates have been working desperately to force doctors, facilities and insurers to provide and pay for abortions and they have opposed conscience protections for these people and entities.  Abortion advocates say the right of conscience is so pervasive that access to abortion suffers.  Forcing companies to provide drugs that can cause an abortion is just a first step to compelling others to participate in abortion. 

The Hobby Lobby case pending before the Supreme Court of the United States has wide implications for pro-lifers.  Join us for our conversation with attorney Jason Guinasso to talk about the issues in the Hobby Lobby case, the threat to religious liberty and how it could impact pro-lifers and the pro-life movement.  Please join us this Saturday for the replay of this timely show at 2 PM on KTXO 1550 AM in Reno.

 

Listen to the Nevada Right to Life Show 1550 AM KXTO Mondays at 1 PM and Saturdays at 2PM.