US Court Revoves Ban on Funding for Embryonic Stem Cell Research

Today, in a 2-1 decision, the US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit overruled a lower court's decision - clearing the way for federal financing of embryonic stem-cell research.  Last August a federal judge issued an injunction against federal funding, ruling that embryonic stem-cell research appears to violate a ban on taxpayer support for research that involves the destruction of human embryos.  The issue of federal financing of stem cell research is a contentious one — pitting scientists who say that stem cells will lead to medical advances against opponents who say it is immoral to destroy human embryos to obtain stem cells.

The Obama administration appealed the lower courts decision, resulting in today's disappointing 2-1 reversal. 

Obama administration officials hailed today's decision: “This is a momentous day — not only for science, but for the hopes of thousands of patients and their families who are relying on NIH-funded scientists to pursue life-saving discoveries and therapies,” Francis S. Collins, director of National Institutes of Health, said in a statement.

Opponents said it was still early in the legal battle. “It’s disappointing, but we have a long way to go,” said David Prentice, a senior fellow at the Family Research Council, which opposes federal funding for stem cell research but is not a party in the legal action.

Today's decision is disheartening for several reasons:

• First and most importantly, as Catholics we believe that life begins at the moment of conception.  The purposeful destruction of human embryos for the purpose of obtaining their stem cells for scientific research is an attack on an innocent person - it is killing a human person (albeit so small) for the sole purpose of research and it is thus a gravely immoral act.
• Secondly, there is a great silence and deception going on here.  Embryonic stem cell research has brought about FEW hopes and promises for cures.  HOWEVER, umbilical cord research and adult stem cell research has showed GREAT promise - but scientists refuse to acknowledge or move to these forms of research, preferring instead to continue to destroy human life in the name of science.

We must continue to pray for our government leaders and scientists and those who support the destricution of human life in order to obtain embryonic stem cells for the purpose of research - we must pray that God will enlighten them and help them to see the intrinsic evil they are supporting - and pray that they re-direct their efforts to forms of research which do not destroy human life when it is most vulnerable, but support it at every stage and moment - from conception until natural death.