Archbishop of Sydney

Stem Cells

By + George Pell
ARCHBISHOP OF SYDNEY
24 March 2002

In a newspaper interview on Friday, Mr Carr said that in considering a ban the federal government was "grovelling to the most unapologetic, anti-scientific views in the community," and that embryonic stem cell research held out the hope of cures for a range of diseases and for conditions such as quadriplegia.

These two claims, together with the argument that existing embryos should be made available for research because they are going to die anyway, go to the heart of the debate around this complex and difficult issue.

It is easy to call people who have concerns about embryo stem cell research "anti-scientific." But it is a low blow and a mistake. Scientists themselves are deeply divided about both the merit and the ethics of this sort of research.

Evidence is yet to be produced that the fantastic cures promised by the supporters of embryonic stem cell research are possible. In fact the evidence we have so far (from attempts to treat Parkinson's disease) shows that use of embryonic stem cells can be disastrous.

Some scientists prefer embryonic stem cells over placental or adult stem cells because they can develop into any cell in the body. But this also means they can develop in ways which researchers cannot control, frequently producing monstrous tumours.

While the benefits are yet to be shown the dangers are very real. For this reason, as Professor Gus Nossal recently pointed out (Canberra Times a March 2002), it will be at least 10 to 15 years before embryonic stem cell therapies might become available.

The world leaders in stem cell research are Germany and the United States, and researchers in these countries are concentrating on adult stem cells rather than embryonic stem cells because they are not only safer but producing striking results.

Adult stem cells have been used to heal damaged heart and liver tissue. In Taiwan adult stem cells have been used to treat blindness in one patient. At Harvard University a team believes adult stem cells from diabetics can be used to cure diabetes and are about to commence trials.

Adult stem cell research is also better ethics. Embryos represent human life in one of its earliest forms. They are beings with their own genome and potential for development to full adulthood. Because of this they should be accorded a special respect. We were all embryos once. Humans are not produce to be farmed for profit.

For these reasons destructive research on existing embryos should not be permitted. We should also be careful about accepting the argument that these embryos should be made available for research because they are going to die anyway.

We do not allow people with terminal illnesses or mortal injuries to be cannibalised or experimented on because "they are going do die anyway." We have always treated human life with more dignity than this. Allowing destructive research in the earliest period of life crosses a line and takes us down a new slippery slope.

Scientists are like the rest of us they need to operate within ethical constraints and public scutiny. This is crucial, not only for the good of society but also for the good of science.