Advocating Federal Funding of Embryonic Stem Cell Research
Significant advances in the treatment of several debilitating medical conditions such as “Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases, spinal cord injury, stroke, burns, heart disease, diabetes,” and many more are within the grasp of United States scientific community (National Institutes of Health (NIH), Basics VI). These advances come through the use of stem cells, which have already been used to treat leukemia, lymphoma, diabetes, and advanced kidney disease (NIH, Backgrounder). Even with all these benefits, research on embryonic stem (abbreviated ES) cells has incited much debate over the morality of the legislation that allows them to be used. Martin Luther King, Junior offers some guidance on which ES cell laws are morally upright in “Letter from Birmingham Jail” when he defines a just law as “a man-made code that squares with the moral law or the law of God … Any law that uplifts human personality is just” (334). With a basic understanding of how stem cells function, it is evident that research on embryonic stem cells holds the greatest potential for enabling the development of new medical treatments, and while America has made some progress in providing federal funding for embryonic stem cell research, it dese
No federal funds will be used for: (1) the derivation or use of stem cell lines derived from newly destroyed embryos; (2) the creation of any human embryos for research purposes; or (3) the cloning of human embryos for any purpose. Today's decision relates only to the use of federal funds for research on existing stem cell lines derived in accordance with the criteria set forth above. (White House, Fact Sheet) Federal funds will only be used for research on existing stem cell lines that were derived: (1) with the informed consent of the donors; (2) from excess embryos created solely for reproductive purposes; and (3) without any financial inducements to the donors. In order to ensure that federal funds are used to support only stem cell research that is scientifically sound, legal, and ethical, the NIH will examine the derivation of all existing stem cell lines and create a registry of those lines that satisfy this criteria. More than 60 existing stem cell lines from genetically diverse populations around the world are expected to be available for federally-funded research. (2) PROHIBITION- (A) IN GENERAL- It shall be unlawful for any person receiving Federal funds to knowingly acquire, receive, or otherwise transfer any human embryos for valuable consideration if the acquisition, receipt, or transfer affects interstate commerce. (Thomas) Most of the argument against the “Stem Cell Research Act of 2001” centers on the morality of destroying a human embryo (Broderick). In a letter to congress about ES cell research, the people for life stated that “The deliberate killing of a human individual is much more than an abstraction or a matter for theoretical discussion” (Broderick). The problem with the argument is that bills like the “Stem Cell Research Act of 2001” do not result in the destruction of human embryos. The bills only make use of embryos that would have been destroyed as a result of consenting individuals attempting to create life using in-vitro fertilization. In-vitro fertilization normally results in excess embryos that current in-vitro fertilization laws allow to be destroyed (Maltin). If those who oppose the Stem Cell Research Act wish to stop the destruction of embryos, they should be opposing current in-vitro fertilization legislation, not the “Stem Cell Research Act 0f 2001.” The Stem Cell Research act only determines if extra embryos from in-vitro fertilization become trash or a potential cure for suffering individuals. Any law that would allow something that would otherwise be discarded to be used as a medical cure that would benefit not only those with aliments but also their grieving friends and family definitely meets Martin Luther King, Junior’s definition of a just law by both “squaring with the moral law of God” (334) and uplifting “human personality” (334). (1) Prior to the consideration of embryo donation and through consultation with the progenitors, it is determined that the embryos will never be implanted in a woman and would otherwise be discarded. (2) The embryos are donated with the written informed consent of the progenitors. The new policy set forth by Pres
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Approximate Word count = 2123
Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page double spaced)
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