Archbishop's web site Denver Catholic Register Parishes Catholic Pastoral Center
July 4, 2001
Petition to end embryonic stem cell research
The embryonic stem cell research debate has heated up. As advocates of the Stem Cell Research Act of 2001 push to allow taxpayer funding of stem-cell research involving the destruction of human embryos, opponents point to a recent survey commissioned by the National Conference of Catholic Bishops which shows that Americans oppose such funding 3 to 1.
"Guidelines as now approved by the National Institutes of Health, are unique among all other federally funded research because they require the deliberate destruction of human beings in order to obtain the raw material for research," said Mimi Eckstein, director of the archdiocesan Respect Life Office. "Embryonic stem cell research is illegal and unethical and unnecessary. New and dramatic breakthroughs using adult stem cells show that they are equally or more promising compared with embryonic stem cells."
Do No Harm — The Coalition of Americans for Research Ethics, is collecting signatures on petitions that will be delivered to President George W. Bush to persuade him to revoke the current NIH guidelines that allow the killing of human embryos for their stem cells.
Citing stories in the press that report the president is considering a compromise, Eckstein urges all pro-lifers to participate in the petition drive. The petition can be signed online at: www.stemcellresearch.org. The petition can be downloaded at: nchla.org/061301b/do%20no%20harm%20petition2.pdf.
Signatures can be gathered and faxed to 703-684-5813. Or mailed to: Do No Harm, 200 Dangerfield Rd., #100, Alexandria, VA 22314.
Copies of the petition and further information are available through the Respect Life Office, 303-715-3243.
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