| TO: | The President of the United States |
| THRU: | Karl Rove, Senior Advisor to the President |
| DATE: | July 25, 2001 |
| RE: | Federal Funding for Embryonic Stem Cell Research |
ISSUE:
Should the United States government provide taxpayer funding for human embryonic stem cell Research?
DISCUSSION:
To accurately understand the ethical realities surrounding human embryonic stem cell research, it is absolutely essential to have a correct understanding of the scientific embryology of the beginning of human life. Due to advances in scientific biotechnology, we know with no doubt whatsoever that a human life begins at the moment of fertilization. “The human zygote is a living entity, a human being, a human individual, and a person, all one and inseparable”. (Dr. Ward Kischer, Professor Emeritus of Human Embryology)
As the zygote develops, nothing new is learned genetically but, progressively, many things are forgotten. These findings prove differentiation and that from the very beginning there exists a human embryo. As growth and cell division of the zygote continues, the human embryonic life does contain stem cells which are either totipotent or pluripotent; however, each new human being created, even at an early stage of embryonic development, can never be reduced to “a cluster of totipotent or pluripotent stem cells.” Though many today use the term “pre-embryo,” there is no valid scientific or embryological basis for such a term since, prior to the formation of an embryo, all that exist are gametes. This correct scientific understanding of human embryology and the beginning of human life recognizes a living entity, a human being, a human individual and a person, all one and inseparable.
The NIH Guidelines call for obtaining pluripotent stem cells for experimentation and manipulation with the hope that these cells could be used for transplantation in persons suffering from various diseases. Pluripotent stem cells are obtained using “human embryos created in excess of clinical need by IVF where “informed consent was obtained.”
It must be recognized that even though some individuals perceive these human embryos as useless since “they are in excess of clinical need,” this in no manner diminishes nor destroys the objective nature of these and all other human embryos:
All human embryos-whether generated in vivo or in vitro-are human beings and subjects with rights whose dignity and right to life must be unconditionally respected from the first moment of their existence. Such “informed consent” which is granted is morally illicit. Pluripotent stem cells are somewhat committed yet not fully committed; totipotent stem cells are totally uncommitted. While it is true that pluripotent stem cells are not human embryos themselves, it is also true that if a totipotent stem cell is removed from the human embryo and is isolated and is viable, it too is a human embryo. The isolation of pluripotent stem cells by removal of the Inner Cell Mass of a human embryo at the blastocyst stage of development results in the death of a human embryo each and every time and amounts to nothing less than human embryonic vivisection (HEV).
The second source of pluripotent stem cells according to current NIH Guidelines is that of fetal tissue obtained from women who have undergone induced abortion and “granted informed consent.” Again it must be recognized that such “informed consent” is morally illicit, as no parent has a moral right to grant “consent” for the destruction of their child nor for the use of the remains of their child after the act of killing has occurred. Investigators in this situation also must be ready and on standby to collect these cells or they, too, will die within minutes. This places such investigators in direct complicity with actions being performed which are gravely unethical.
Scientific research which is truly ethical must be directed toward the good and service of all human beings without exception from the moment of creation to death. Failure to observe this ethical principle assaults the dignity of human beings resulting in automatic injustice. Human beings come to be perceived as “objects” or “commodities” which can be exploited for the so-called benefit of others. It must be continually emphasized that all human beings are “ends” in and of themselves and can never be exploited as a “means” to an “end” without their dignity being violated. These fundamental ethical principles must govern all experimentation, research, and therapeutic procedures as applied to human beings unconditionally and without exception from the moment of creation to death.
We are aware of the current arguments stating that “since certain stem cells obtained from human embryos who already exist and will be destroyed if not used, we should go ahead and utilize them.” The funding of stem cell research involving stem cells from living human embryos who were destroyed involves complicity in gravely immoral actions and must, therefore, be rejected. Analogously, if one were to knowingly use money which had been stolen to bring about some good, such a person would be complicit in a gravely immoral action.
We are also aware that there are countless numbers of human embryos who have been frozen in liquid nitrogen. These human embryos are human persons who are still alive. They possess molecular motion of molecules though it is at such a slow rate that it cannot be scientifically measured. The fact that frozen human embryos have been thawed, transferred to the uterus for implantation, and resulted in a live birth is confirmation that a frozen human embryo is a living human person.
It would be unconscionable for our government to even consider funding any research involving these human embryos and/or their destruction.
OPTIONS/ALTERNATIVES:
The American Bioethics Advisory Commission recognizes that it is possible to ethically isolate stem cells for experimental research and manipulation in hopes of finding therapeutic cures. It is known that various organs and tissues in the human body contain a reservoir of stem cells. These stem cells, in principle, could be ethically isolated and used for therapeutic purposes as has been demonstrated with both skin and bone. One such study evaluated the use of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells from umbilical-cord blood in 562 transplantations performed from August 24, 1992, through January 30, 1998. This study included data on most placental-blood transplantations from unrelated donors performed in the world thus far. The 562 patients in this study were diagnosed with one of the following disorders: Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, Acute Myelogenous Leukemia, Chronic Myelogeneous Leukemia, Juvenile Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia, Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia, Lymphoma, Fanconi’s Anemia, Severe Combined Immunodeficiency Disorder, Osteopetrosis, Hurler’s Syndrome, Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome, Adrenoleukodystrophy, Blackfan-Diamond Syndrome, Myelodysplastic Disease, and Severe Aplastic Anemia. The results of this study found that for patients for whom no histocompatible donor is available, allogeneic hematopoietic stem cells from placental blood offers substantial advantages: the relative ease of procurement; the absence of risk to the donor; the small likelihood of transmitting clinically important viral infections such as CMV or EBV; the low risk of severe graft-versus-host disease; and the rapid availability of placental blood to transplantation centers. The effectiveness demonstrated in this study could be enhances by wider accessibility and by improvements that would speed engraftment and lessen early morbidity. (See N Eng J Med 1998, 339:1565-77) It is very likely that these stem cells can differentiate into muscle, bone, and connective tissue as well. Also, research conducted at Harvard in early 1999 demonstrated that it was possible to remove urinary bladder cells from beagle dogs via biopsy, grow them in the laboratory, and seed them onto polymers, forming new urinary bladders for transplantation. The urinary bladders were normal and functional 11 months post-surgery. (Nature Biotechnology, Vol. 17, Feb. 1999, pp. 149-155) We encourage this type of research as it could be applied to human beings.
Recent experimental studies conducted in mice demonstrated that neural stem cells from the brains of mice when transplanted into the bone marrow of irradiated mice were reprogramable, becoming a variety of cell types, including myeloid and lymphoid cells as well as early hematopoietic cells. Using experimental protocol with reverse design, mice were injected with genetically tagged bone marrow cells and their brains were subsequently examined. The tagged bone marrow cells were found to have the capacity to differentiate into microglia, fibrous astrocytes of the subcortical white matter, and protoplasmic astrocytes of the neocortex. It is clear there are valid scientific as well as ethical sources of stem cells not involving human embryos.
RECOMMENDATION:
In conclusion, the American Bioethics Advisory Commission shares the concerns of alleviating human disease and suffering; nonetheless, we must seek solutions which are truly ethical and respect the intrinsic dignity of all human beings without exception. This means showing unconditional respect for all human life from the moment of creation to death. Failure to do so destroys the first and most fundamental of all rights as established by the Laws of Nature: the unconditional right to life of all human beings from the moment of fertilization. We must work together to conduct experimental research and find therapeutic cures for pathologies which place science and medicine at the service of all humanity exemplified by showing absolute respect for all human life.
Any federal funding of stem cell research involving human embryos who have already been destroyed or would be destroyed would place you, Mr. President, and our government in direct complicity of gravely immoral actions. I encourage you to meet with the Chairman of our American Bioethics Advisory Commission, Dr. C. Ward Kischer, Professor Emeritus of Human Embryology and Fr. Joseph C. Howard, Jr., Executive Director of the American Bioethics Advisory Commission. We can be contacted at 540-659-4171, and would be most happy to arrange such a meeting.
Sincerely yours,
Fr. Joseph C. Howard, Jr.
Executive Director
American Bioethics Advisory CommissionDr. C. Ward Kischer
Chairman
American Bioethics Advisory Commission
Release issued: 25 Jul 01
