Virginia Research Firm Kills Unborn Children for Stem Cells
Source: New York Times, Reuters, L.A. Times; July 11, 2001

Virginia Research Firm Kills Unborn Children for Stem Cells

Washington, DC -- Confirming the worst fears of pro-life groups working to
convince President Bush not to fund embryonic stem cell research,
Virginia-based esearchers announced Wednesday that they created human
embryos sole for the purpose of killing them, to obtain stem cells.

Scientists at the Jones Institute for Reproductive Medicine at Eastern
Virginia Medical School took 168 donor eggs, fertilized 110 of them with
donor sperm, and grew 40 of them to the blastocyst stage. Of the 40
unborn children created, 18 had harvestable inner masses resulting in 3
stem cell lines. Reportedly, the donors were informed that their gametes
would be used for this purpose.

Although no federal law specifically bars the creation of embryos for
research purposes, the announcement of the procedure drew criticism from
both supporters and opponents of embryonic stem cell research.

``This is really ghoulish -- creating human embryos for the specific
purpose of destroying them,'' said Douglas Johnson, legislative director
for National Right to Life, which opposes abortion and embryonic stem cell
research. ``It's totally wrong to kill human embryos for research.''

Johnson continued: "Those who have advocated destructive embryonic stem
cell research have been assuring people and assuring President Bush that
they only want to kill the so-called leftover embryos. This report shows
how phony those assurances are."

One leading pro-life spokesman on stem cell research, Richard Doerflinger
of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops, said that the procedure is
"just the latest evidence that embryo research should be disallowed" and
called on President Bush to bar funding of embryonic stem cell research.
"I think this is a cautionary tale against starting down the slope,"
Doerflinger said.

Doerflinger said the work was unconscionable, and "crosses a very
important line in terms of treating life merely as an instrument for
others."

The researchers insist that the study underwent "careful ethical review"
including consultations with "clergy, ethicists, and legal professionals"
prior to its start. The ethical review "concluded that creating embryos
for research purposes was not only justified but in keeping 'with our duty
to provide human kind with our best understanding of our early human
development.'"

``There's a tremendous interest in stem cells and their potential from the
standpoint of their clinical application to humans,'' said Dr. William E.
Gibbons, chairman of the department of obstetrics and gynecology at
Eastern Virginia Medical School and spokesman for the researchers. ``I'm
not going to be surprised to see intelligent people of good faith having
differences in their opinions in this process.''

The research also drew criticism from some medical ethicists and leading
stem cell researchers, who worry it will hurt their cause.

"I am a bit perplexed by this," said Dr. John Gearhart, who researches
stem cells at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. "You will hear none
of the scientists who are involved in this work talk about making embryos
to destroy them in any way. We don't think it's necessary."

In a statement form the The Center for Bioethics and Human Dignity,
Director of Media and Policy Daniel McConchie said: "Stem cell lines are
quickly becoming marketable items. Once some integral human parts can be
bought and sold, we run the risk that democratic societies will decide
that other weak and defenseless members of the human race in those
societies can be utilized for profits as well."

Creating embryos specifically for the purpose of "destroying" them "runs
directly counter" to recent recommendations by the National Bioethics
Advisory Commission, the NIH and the ethics advisory board of the European
Commission.

ACTION: You can express your views against this anti-life research by
contacting: Jones Institute for Reproductive Medicine, 601 Colley Avenue,
Norfolk, Virginia 23507, (p) 800-515-6637, (f) 703-876-6317