Playing God

By Julie Gauthier

The cure for Parkinson’s Disease may be much closer than originally thought. In fact, it may be found in the development and funding of stem cell research.

Media reports on stem cells promote that the most malleable cells come from embryos, not adult stem cells.

But, the use of embryos to find these cures is morally wrong and unethical.

Nobody has the right to decide when something begins to live, which is the main argument with using human embryos in scientific research.

Dr. Harold Atkins, from the General Hospital and the Ottawa Regional Cancer Centre, says that all stem cells have unique and important properties. A stem cell can develop into an organ in the body, or renew itself to produce more cells.

To date, research into stem cells has scientists calling them miracle cells. They appear to be able to develop into many different types of tissue, which can help regenerate other cells suffering from disease.

Atkins specifically works with stem cells found in bone marrow, although they can be found in other areas of the human body.

“For medicinal use, the stem cells that have been used the longest are bone marrow stem cells,” he says.

“They can be used to regrow the blood system after a patient goes through treatment.”

In early March, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research released guidelines for any public funding of stem cell research.

The guidelines include regulations for how embryos might be used as sources for stem cells. Embryos that were created for reproductive purposes, but are no longer required can be used in research, providing that the donors consent to their use. As well, creating embryos solely for research is prohibited and no money must have been exchanged for the creation and use of donor embryos.

These guidelines violate a human being’s right to life, as fetuses are living creatures. Ruth Vant, executive director for the Parkinson’s Society of Ottawa-Carleton, says that her organization supports the guidelines.

“We do have hope that the use of stem cell research will lead to a cause and cure for Parkinson’s.”

Vant notes that there is hope to be found in other areas of research, such as genetics and environmental factors, but she admits that the disease has not yet benefited from any stem cell research.

“There are no direct benefits at this point, but it’s the hope that’s coming. It takes awhile.”

While researchers do have a first and foremost responsibility to the public to find cures for diseases, they do not need to rely on unborn babies to find these cures.

Ethicists say the destruction of human life should not be allowed solely for the purpose of scientific research. Karen Murawsky, director of public affairs at Campaign Life Coalition, opposes the new guidelines.

“We are not opposed to stem cell research, but we are opposed to embryonic stem cell research because you have to kill the embryo,” she says.

“We believe that human life begins at conception. There is no point at which anybody can decide that somebody is less of a human being.”

Murawsky also says that there is hope to be found in the research of adult stem cells.

“We know that adult stem cells can provide a lot of the same advantages as embryonic stem cells.”

Atkins says that whether embryonic stem cells are more malleable than adult cells is still uncertain.

“Nobody knows. It looks like some mature stem cells can change into other kinds of cells,” she says. “There has been suggestion that bone marrow stem cells can change into heart muscle.”

If this is true, and adult cells are viable as a possible cure, then embryonic stem cell research is unnecessary. Murawsky says that any research done on stem cells needs to be very thorough.

She also notes that the research appears to be theoretical, as no diseases have directly benefited from the research.

“If we rush on this, we’re going to make big mistakes.”

Carroll Rees, executive director at Action Life opposes the guidelines.

“We should start with adult stem cells and see how far we can go with those. That is more ethically acceptable.”

However, the Canadian Abortion Rights Action League takes the position that women have the right to make informed decisions about the outcome of her pregnancy.

“Individuals and families must be able to exercise choice in matters of reproduction and to that end, the less restriction or prohibition of technology the better. .”

Even so, the destruction of human life should not be viewed as viable research in any case, no matter what the potential outcome may be.

Stem cell research may be a miracle cure.

But, if the basis of this so-called miracle is found through the destruction of human embryos, it is an outrage and should not be tolerated.

Nor should anyone be allowed to play God.