Just days before the House of Representatives considers mandating federal funding of stem cell research that destroys human embryos, researchers at Wake Forest University announced the discovery of stem cells in amniotic fluid. According to researchers, these stem cells share important traits similar to stem cells obtained from human embryos.
As was reported in today's Washington Post:
"They grow fast, as fast as embryonic stem cells, and they show great pluripotentiality," meaning they can become many kinds of tissues, said study leader Anthony Atala, director of the Institute for Regenerative Medicine at Wake Forest University School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, N.C. "But they remain stable for years without forming tumors," he added, something that embryonic cells are not very good at."We applaud the work of those researchers who continue to look for ethical stem cell research alternatives that do not require destroying human life, and we call on Congress to support such ethical alternatives," said Douglas Johnson, NRLC legislative director.
The House of Representatives is scheduled to vote on January 11 on H.R. 3, a bill which would mandate federal funding of research that requires the killing of human embryos. H.R. 3 is identical to H.R. 810, which was passed during the last Congress. President Bush vetoed that bill – a veto sustained by the House on July 19, 2006.
"The government should not fund research that requires killing living members of the species Homo sapiens," Johnson said. "To do so is simply unethical."
There are many types of stem cell research that are worthwhile and that do not raise ethical objections. In addition to this new revelation, stem cells can be obtained without killing human embryos, from umbilical cord blood and from many types of "adult" (non-embryonic) tissue.
Already, humans with at least 72 different diseases and conditions have received therapeutic benefit from treatment with such "adult" stem cells. In contrast, embryonic stem cells have not been tested in humans for any purpose because of the dangers demonstrated in animal studies, including frequent formation of tumors.
Additional resources are available at the NRLC Human Embryos webpage.
The National Right to Life Committee is the nation's largest pro-life group with affiliates in all 50 states and over 3,000 local chapters nationwide. National Right to Life works through legislation and education to protect those threatened by abortion, infanticide, euthanasia and assisted suicide.
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