ADF joins memorandum calling for stem cell researchers to ‘do no harm’ALLIANCE DEFENSE FUND NEWS RELEASE
ADF joins memorandum
Groups ask National Institutes of Health to issue guidelines
WASHINGTON — The Alliance Defense Fund joined with other pro-life organizations Tuesday to submit a memorandum to the National Institutes of Health on the scientific and ethical repercussions of proposed guidelines on human embryonic stem cell research. The memorandum is in response to the NIH’s request for public comment on proposed guidelines that will establish policy and procedures for funding research on human embryonic stem cells derived from embryos created by in vitro fertilization. “No one should be allowed to decide that an innocent life is worthless,” said ADF Legal Counsel Matt Bowman. “At best, what we’re talking about is an immoral proposition: life at the expense of life. With the advances made with research involving adult stem cells, the use of embryonic stem cells isn’t even necessary. Public tax dollars should not be used where privately funded research has consistently failed to produce results.” ADF joined with several organizations to file the official comment with NIH, including Do No Harm: The Coalition of Americans for Research Ethics, the Family Research Council, Concerned Women for America, the Christian Medical Association, Advocates International, and molecular biologists and stem cell researchers Dr. Theresa Deisher and Dr. James L. Sherley. On behalf of the various groups, the law firm of Gibson, Dunn, & Crutcher, LLP, filed the official comment, which argues against acceptance of the NIH’s proposed guidelines on the basis that federal funding of embryo-destructive research violates federal law, is unethical, and is scientifically unnecessary. The memorandum states that “human embryonic stem cell research cannot be conducted without destroying the human embryos involved, and thus the clear and inevitable purpose and effect of the Guidelines is to necessitate and encourage the destruction of human embryos for research in direct violation of the Federal Funding Ban.”
· Memorandum submitted to the National Institutes of Health on draft stem cell guidelines
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