hot button issues: ALITO
abortion: FATAL TOXIC SHOCK SYNDROME / MIFEPRISTONE (RU-486) / SUICIDE RATES
congress: CORD BLOOD
imposed death: SCHIAVO
in vitro fertilization: GHOULISH PRATICE
morning-after abortion pill: ABORTION
personhood: RIGHT TO LIFE ACT
prenatal diagnosis: ABORT EARLY
stem cell research / ethical: BONE MARROW / CORD BLOOD / MARYLAND / SPINAL CORD INJURY
stem cell research / unethical: POLITICALLY CORRECT / TWISTING TRUTH
vaccines: AVOID TAINTED VACCINES?
web news: SEARCH
wisdom: CANON 915
reflection: SON OF DAVID, HAVE PITY ON US?
hot button issues
ALITO: American Life League’s new web site, ApproveAlito.com, encourages citizens to sign a petition urging senators to approve the appointment of Judge Samuel Alito. An analysis of Alito is available online.
abortion
FATAL TOXIC SHOCK SYNDROME: Doctors report four deaths occurred after a “medical abortion” was performed followed by a bacterial infection resulting in endometriosis and toxic shock syndrome. They encourage the identification of the infectious Clostridium sordellii so that such deaths to do not occur in the future.
(Reading: “Fatal toxic shock syndrome associated with Clostridium sordellii after medical abortion,” New England Journal of Medicine, 12/1/05, pp. 2352-2360)
MIFEPRISTONE (RU-486): In an effort to discount the reported deaths among those who aborted using mifepristone, Dr, Michael Greene suggests that though nobody really knows how many “procedures” were done with the drug, the risk of death from infection is estimated to be 1 on 100,000. And he opines that the risk of death from efforts to carry a pregnancy to term is higher.
(Reading: “Fatal infections associated with mifepristone-induced abortion,” New England Journal of Medicine, 12/1/05, pp. 2317-2318)
SUICIDE RATES: New research indicates that when women who have not been pregnant in the year prior to suicide, accident or homicide are compared to those women who had an abortion, the rate for the aborted women is 248% higher. The study found that the majority of those deaths among women who had had an abortion are due to suicide.
(Reading: “Women’s suicide rates highest after abortion, new study,” Elliot Institute news release, 11/30/05)
imposed death
SCHIAVO: In establishing a political action committee, Michael Schiavo said, “I will do everything in my power to keep another unsuspecting American family from re-living our private national nightmare.” TerriPAC will campaign against political figures such as those who tried to save Terri Schiavo’s life, an effort which Michael Schiavo described as “unprecedented government intrusion and political grandstanding.”
(Reading: “Michael Schiavo announces new political committee,” TerriPAC news release, 12/7/05)
in vitro fertilization
GHOULISH PRACTICE: An IVF technique makes it possible for clinicians to determine with greater certainty which embryos are really the “best” in terms of their potential for implantation. The practice, known as “blastocyst culture,” uses human embryos who have reached the five-day-old stage, claiming that the “survival of the fittest” applies to those human embryos who live to be five days old.
(Reading: “Blastocyst culture and transfer at Shady Grove Fertility,” Shady Grove Fertility web site)
morning-after abortion pill
ABORTION: ACOG Practice Bulletin #69 states, “No single mechanism of action has been established for emergency contraception: rather, the mode of action varies according to the day of the menstrual cycle on which intercourse occurs and emergency contraception is administered.” The article goes on to argue that recent studies have suggested that “the endometrial changes that have been observed may not be sufficient to prevent implantation.” But the author continues, “emergency contraception is effective only before a pregnancy is established.”
COMMENT: In other words, it can and does have the potential to create a hostile environment for the human being so that he cannot implant and thus establish his residence within his mother’s womb. Why do these proponents of death insist on manipulating the language to suit their deadly goals?
(Reading: “Emergency Contraception,” ACOG Practice Bulletin #69, 12/05, p. 1444)
personhood
RIGHT TO LIFE ACT: This bill (HR 552) states, “The terms ‘human person’ and ‘human being’ include each and every member of the species homo sapiens at all stages of life, including, but not limited to, the moment of fertilization, cloning, or other moment at which an individual member of the human species comes into being.” See RightToLifeAct.org for details.
COMMENT: Is your member of Congress a co-sponsor? If not, ask!
prenatal diagnosis
ABORT EARLY: Researchers looked into the pros and cons of first versus second trimester prenatal counseling. It should be noted that an accompanying editorial points out the reason for the comparison: “pregnancy terminations are earlier, more private, and far safer than in the second trimester.”
(Reading: “Choosing the best prenatal screening protocol,” New England Journal of Medicine, 11/10/05)
stem cell research / ethical
BONE MARROW: Researchers from the Tulane University found that human bone marrow stem cells implanted into mouse brains stimulated the creation of differentiated neural cells.
(Reading: “Human bone marrow stem cells may have more therapeutic potentials: scientists,” Xinhua, 11/30/05)
CORD BLOOD: The U.S. Senate continues to drag its feet on ethically positive legislation that would provide funding for further research into the uses of stem cells derived from umbilical cord blood. The bill number is S 1317.
(Contact: Find your members of Congress online)
MARYLAND: A new coalition of professionals in the fields of medicine, science and ethics has formed to create a focus on the individuality of each human embryo from his beginning. The coalition is seeking assistance recruiting new members.
(Reading: “Invitation to join,” Maryland Coalition for Ethical Research, 11/05)
SPINAL CORD INJURY: British scientists report that for the first time they have attempted to treat paralyzed spinal cord injury patients with the patients’ nasal stem cells.
(Reading: “Spinal cord patients get own stem cells,” United Press International, 11/30/05)
stem cell research / unethical
POLITICALLY CORRECT: Addressing recent reports of human embryonic stem cells derived from mice (Chung et al. and Meissner) analyst Davor Solter, MD, concludes that “neither of the two described methods can produce human embryonic stem-cell lines that would be ideologically acceptable to the forces that assume the prerogative to decide such issues in the united States. Playing politics for the sake of science is probably necessary and sometimes noble; manipulating science for the sake of politics is usually a waste of time.”
COMMENT: Persistent denial that the human embryo is an individual human being results in attributing false goals to those who respect life.
(Reading: “Politically correct human embryonic stem cells?” New England Journal of Medicine, 12/1/05, pp. 2321-2322)
TWISTING TRUTH: A recent editorial described the erroneous science being perpetrated by those who choose to suggest that a blastocyst is not really an embryo. The editorial is not written from a pro-life perspective, but does acknowledge the fake science just the same.
(Reading: “Stem-cell biologists should not try to change the definition of the word ’embryo,'” Nature 7/7/05)
vaccines
AVOID TAINTED VACCINES? The National Catholic Bioethics Center has issued yet another opinion making erroneous claims about the content of the Pontifical Academy for Life position regarding the rights of parents to refuse to use vaccines manufactured with the cells of aborted children. The leadership of Children of God for Life has refuted this most recent publication.
(Reading: “A note to our readers,” Children of God for Life, 12/05)
web news
SEARCH: A new web site, ProLifeSearch.com, is an excellent way to find what you are looking for on the Internet and help support pro-life groups.
wisdom
CANON 915: Father James Buckley, FSSP, notes: “Prior to Vatican II priests were more conscious that the obligation of preventing public sinners from receiving communion rested on them. Today they hesitate. Canon Law 915 clearly prohibits public sinners from taking the Eucharist. Priests are not disciplining pro-abortion legislators when they enforce this Canon law; they are protecting the Eucharist from sacrilege.”
(Reading: “Paul Martin’s parish priest will not refuse communion no matter what Rome says,” LifeSite News, 10/5/05)
reflection
SON OF DAVID, HAVE PITY ON US? Lord Jesus, these blind men approached you with attitudes of humility and contrition. They approached you fully aware of their limitations and weaknesses. In fact, it was because of these limitations that they drew near to you. Perhaps if they had been healthy they might never have moved toward you. They didn’t feel any self-pity or approach you complaining about their situation. They didn’t ask, “Why did you allow me to be born blind? It’s not fair that I cannot see. Why did this have to happen to me?” They asked none of these questions in the face of suffering — the type of questions I am so prone to ask. Lord, please help me to be profoundly aware of my weaknesses and draw near you with a grateful heart in the midst of trials. I ask that you strengthen me to bear my sufferings with patience and joy.
(Reading: “When we show humility and faith, You act, O Lord,” Regnum Christi, 12/2/05)