Murphy, T. F. (2004). Case studies in biomedical research ethics. MIT Press.
Political Compromise on Stem Cell Research
During the Clinton administration, the National Institutes of Health implemented a policy that
would allow federal funding for some research on stem cells derived from human embryos.
Before studies were conducted, this policy was suspended in 2001 by the incoming
administration of George W. Bush. In summer of 2001 President Bush announced that funding
could be used for this research provided that the stem cells in question were already available
in cultivated cell lines. Research on cells from other embryos would not be permitted. An
excerpt from the address Mr. Bush made to announce his decision is given below.
“My administration must decide whether to allow federal funds, your tax dollars, to be used
for scientific research on stem cells derived from human embryos. A large number of these
embryos already exist. They are the product of a process called in vitro fertilization, which
helps so many couples conceive children. When doctors match sperm and egg to create life
outside the womb, they usually produce more embryos than are planted in the mother. Once
a couple successfully has children, or if they are unsuccessful, the additional embryos remain
frozen in laboratories. “Some will not survive during long storage; others are destroyed. A
number have been donated to science and [are] used to create privately funded stem cell
lines. And a few have been implanted in an adoptive mother and born, and are today healthy
children. “Based on preliminary work that has been privately funded, scientists believe further
research using stem cells offers great promise that could help improve the lives of those who
suffer from many terrible diseases—from juvenile diabetes to Alzheimer’s, from Parkinson’s
to spinal cord injuries. And while scientists admit they are not yet certain, they believe stem
cells derived from embryos have unique potential. . . . “Embryonic stem cell research is at the
leading edge of a series of moral hazards. The initial stem cell researcher was at first reluctant
to begin his research, fearing it might be used for human cloning. Scientists have already
cloned a sheep. Researchers are telling us the next step could be to clone human beings to
create individual designer stem cells, essentially to grow another you, to be available in case
you need another heart or lung or liver. “I strongly oppose human cloning, as do most
Americans. We recoil at the idea of growing human beings for spare body parts, or creating
life for our convenience. And while we must devote enormous energy to conquering disease,
it is equally important that we pay attention to the moral concerns raised by the new frontier
of human embryo stem cell research. Even the most noble ends do not justify any means. “My
position on these issues is shaped by deeply held beliefs. I’m a strong supporter of science
and technology, and believe they have the potential for incredible good to improve lives, to
save life, to conquer disease.
Research offers hope that millions of our loved ones may be cured of a disease and rid of their
suffering. I have friends whose children suffer from juvenile diabetes. Nancy Reagan has
written me about President Reagan’s struggle with Alzheimer’s. My own family has confronted
the tragedy of childhood leukemia. And, like all Americans, I have great hope for cures. “I also
believe human life is a sacred gift from our Creator. I worry about a culture that devalues life,
Murphy, T. F. (2004). Case studies in biomedical research ethics. MIT Press.
and believe as your president I have an important obligation to foster and encourage respect
for life in America and throughout the world. And while we’re all hopeful about the potential
of this research, no one can be certain that the science will live up to the hope it has
generated. “Eight years ago, scientists believed fetal tissue research offered great hope for
cures and treatments—yet, the progress to date has not lived up to its initial expectations.
Embryonic stem cell research offers both great promise and great peril. So I have decided we
must proceed with great care. “As a result of private research, more than 60 genetically diverse
stem cell lines already exist. They were created from embryos that have already been
destroyed, and they have the ability to regenerate themselves indefinitely, creating ongoing
opportunities for research. I have concluded that we should allow federal funds to be used for
research on these existing stem cell lines, where the life and death decision has already been
made. “Leading scientists tell me research on these 60 lines has great promise that could lead
to breakthrough therapies and cures. This allows us to explore the promise and potential of
stem cell research without crossing a fundamental moral line, by providing taxpayer funding
that would sanction or encourage further destruction of human embryos that have at least
the potential for life. “I also believe that great scientific progress can be made through
aggressive federal funding of research on umbilical cord placenta, adult and animal stem cells
which do not involve the same moral dilemma. This year, your government will spend $250
million on this important research. “I will also name a president’s council to monitor stem cell
research, to recommend appropriate guidelines and regulations, and to consider all of the
medical and ethical ramifications of biomedical innovation. This council will consist of leading
scientists, doctors, ethicists, lawyers, theologians and others, and will be chaired by Dr. Leon
Kass, a leading biomedical ethicist from the University of Chicago. This council will keep us
apprised of new developments and give our nation a forum to continue to discuss and
evaluate these important issues. As we go forward, I hope we will always be guided by both
intellect and heart, by both our capabilities and our conscience.”