Embryo Adoption Revisited, Page 2
2001 Congressional Hearings on Stem Cell Research
Rep. Chris Smith, by contrast, testified that "These littlest of human beings aren't potential life - but life with vast potential." Rep. Smith's views reflect the beliefs of his church, the Roman Catholic Church. The Roman Catholic Church strongly condemns IVF, based on the view that human life begins at conception, not implantation.
Nor are Roman Catholics alone in this belief. At the press conference held by the Family Research Council on July 16, the list of speakers was headlined "LIVING PROOF: HOW CHILDREN'S DRAMATIC STORIES SHOW LIFE BEGINS AT FERTILIZATION." The remarks of Ken Connor, President of the Family Research Council, reflect his religious beliefs. Connor used the words "embryonic human beings" in his statement and asked the question, "Are the risks to tiny human beings created by man-made conception and frozen storage acceptable?"
As Rep. Waxman pointed out, these differences of belief are at the heart of the debate over not just embryonic stem cell research but of IVF itself and the "excess" human embryos that are routinely produced under current IVF protocols. No amount of Congressional testimony or research by the National Institutes of Health will settle questions that are theological or religious.
Since science cannot settle for all Americans what is a question of religious beliefs, it is clear why one group of legislators and a corresponding group of witnesses strongly object to the use of their tax dollars to fund experiments on "tiny human beings," in the words of the Family Research Council. And it is equally clear why those who do not share those religious beliefs are pressing forward with the case to spend federal funds on this research.
Given the profound differences of opinion about the religious content of the controversy, the debate can still take place around other issues. At the July 17 hearing, there were strongly contrasting viewpoints from the scientists present not only on IVF but on whether research needs to go forward at this time on embryonic stem cells and whether the U.S. government should be involved in such research.
The questions on IVF include matters such as the creation of "excess" human embryos and the issue of the length of time these embryos can be stored. Testimony to the effect that non-human embryos have been frozen for 25 years suggests that the question is not so much a matter of "excess" but rather of the costs of storage. Perhaps a temporary solution to part of the current problem would be to find ways to relieve people of the burden of paying seemingly high storage fees, so that there is no financial pressure to thaw the embryos. Let's put a hold on these frozen embryos since no further apparent harm would be done to them in the process.
IVF techniques themselves could be changed to provide that reproductive medical experts no longer extract more ova than can be safely fertilized and implanted, without freezing. Let's urge those contemplating IVF to take a different approach, one that may impact consenting adults rather than embryos who cannot give consent.
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