Pro-choice activists mock the most socially unpalatable aspects of the pro-life position. Broadly speaking, pro-lifers believe human life is morally relevant when the human organism begins: as a zygote. This means we oppose killing not only fetuses, but also embryos and zygotes. And so, while we primarily object to surgical abortion, many of us also […]
I recently had an interesting exchange with Ray P., a Secular Pro-Life member and scientist whose current project involves the study of gestational diabetes and insulin production. Of course, I’m thrilled to see an SPL member working to improve maternal health. But Ray has an ethical conundrum: many scientists in his field use cell lines […]
John Gurdon and Shinya Yamanaka received the Nobel Prize in Medicine for their pioneering work in adult stem cell research, the Washington Post reports. Yamanaka was instrumental in the development of induced pluripotent stem cells (IPSC), which act like embryonic stem cells but are created without killing an embryo. His work built upon animal cloning […]
MSNBC covers the story of Addison Hope Kelly. When Addison was a fetus around 6 months gestation, ultrasound revealed she had a tumor between her heart and lungs, making it unlikely that Addison would survive. Addison’s parents chose fetal surgery, which would give Addison a 50/50 chance of survival. Although the process caused Mary Kelly, Addison’s […]
GOP presidential candidate Newt Gingrich has come under fire for his comment that human life begins at implantation, not fertilization. As a scientific matter, he’s plainly wrong. Perhaps he’s been confused by a separate debate: when pregnancy begins. Much ink has been spilled on the definition of pregnancy. The debate has little or no practical […]
Though we usually focus on abortion, today I’m writing about the Washington Post’s embryonic stem cell research article. Last September, Timothy Atchison received 2 million cells (a small amount) developed from human embryonic stem cells in the effort to reverse his paralysis. He damaged the oligodendrocytes (they insulate the nerves) around his T7 vertebra. They […]
Over the last few years, numerous scientific breakthroughs have shown that adult cells can be made to behave like embryonic stem cells. These “induced pluripotent stem cells” have great promise. Not only are they more ethical than embryonic stem cells, but since they can be derived from the same patient who needs treatment, they don’t […]
Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli has released a legal opinion encouraging the state to regulate abortion facilities to the extent that it currently regulates life-friendly surgical clinics and hospitals. Abortion advocacy groups are, predictably, opposed. Remember, kids: abortion is just like any other medical procedure… until people actually want to treat it that way. In […]
In March 2009, President Obama issued an executive order which simultaneously allowed funding of embryonic stem cell research (ESCR) and rejected funding of adult stem cell research (ASCR). The cutoff of funds for ASCR was accomplished in Section 5, revoking a prior executive order by former president George W. Bush. Pro-lifers have long supported ASCR […]
Each Tuesday, we will be cross-posting Gerard Nadal’s discussion of Embryo: A Defense of Human Life. Today is the first installment of eight. Today we begin our 8-week reading of Embryo: A Defense of Human Life by George and Tollefsen. Every Tuesday, a new chapter. Author Christopher Tollefsen will be monitoring the comments and answering […]
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