Sen. Bill Frist makes a good call on embryonic stem-cell research

Now that we’ve all had some years to consider the question of embryonic stem-cell research, it is time to move. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist made a wise move yesterday.

"I also strongly believe -- as do countless other scientists, clinicians, and doctors -- that embryonic stem cells uniquely hold specific promise for some therapies and potential cures that adult stem cells cannot provide," Frist said on the floor of the Senate.

"Therefore, I believe the president’s policy should be modified. We should expand federal funding (and thus NIH [National Institutes of Health] oversight) and current guidelines governing stem cell research, carefully and thoughtfully staying within ethical bounds."

Wasted embryos. Like it or not, we’ve got all these aborted embryos that right now are going to waste. As Frist said, this embryonic life can save the lives of people we know.

We should do all we can to discourage women from having abortions only for embryonic science. But we also should do all we can to encourage science not to discard the embryos that can serve a worthy, healing purpose.

This isn’t an easy call. If you believe that embryos are full human beings, then using them for science might seem sick or criminal. But Frist points out that doctors already use human tissue from the dead to keep living humans alive.

An ethical wall. Let’s keep a watchful eye on this. We need a solid ethical wall of separation between the doctors who use the tissue of aborted embryos and the doctors who perform the abortions.

But humanity needs this research, too.

Frank Warner

Comments

[jj mollo]

The man's a doctor! I was sure he would come around. The religious right was never going to make him their candidate anyway.

[George]

The five most evil words from our Senators and Congressmen in Washington:
"We should expand federal funding..."

We don't need more federal spending; we need less.

[jj mollo]

I agree that we should try to keep the reins on spending, but there are cases where the government does a better job, cases where the government contributes dramatically to the general welfare by its actions.