A QUESTION I WISH SOMEONE WOULD ASK--AND SOMEONE WOULD ANSWER
I watched a PBS "Frontline" program last night about Parkinson's disease. It was at once a family history and a recap of the research history, including the arguments for and against the use of human embryonic stem cells in the context of whether federal funding for same was appropriate. Under the Dubya administration, of course, it was not. President Obama may change that.
During one of the Senate hearings (chaired by Sen. Arlen Spector, R-Pennsylvania), a priest argued that respect for human life should preclude the use of human embryonic stem cells in all such research, even though the embryos from which the stem cells would come would otherwise be destroyed and utterly wasted. He drew the analogy to prisoners on death row: they are going to be killed, so why not use them in the meantime? His answer was that it was wrong, plain and simple. Just as respect for human dignity forbids so using prisoners, so should it forbid using embryos.
The question I wanted to ask him is this: isn't the life that's already here worthy of equal, if not more, respect than is a microscopic collection of cells that represent only the potential for life? Note that framing the issue this way puts the lie to the priest's analogy to prisoners on death row, too. Those prisoners are also "life that's already here," so using them for research just because they've already been convicted to death is still wrong.
What phrasing the question the way I have does is acknowledge the human dignity of the life that's already here, the life suffering from diseases [not just Parkinson's, but Alzheimer's and any number of other illnesses, from MS to cystic fibrosis--Ed.] for which cures may be had, and soon. The only embryonic stem cells that would be used are those about to be discarded as medical waste. Where is the human dignity in being thrown away? Far better that they be put to noble purpose rather than just being literally trashed.
I propose a solution: have the donors sign agreements authorizing the use in research of any embryonic stem cells they do not themselves use. That would be no different from someone signing an organ donation card in the case of his/her death. People who do not wish to sign the agreements do not have to do so. Any of their unused embryonic stem cells can be discarded as they are at present. But the stem cells from other embryos, ones pre-authorized for research, can do unmeasurable good in the service of lives already here on this Earth.
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