Dear Member of Congress

January 10, 2007

Cardinal Justin Rigali, Archbishop of Philadelphia and Chairman of the Committee for Pro-Life Activities of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops yesterday sent a letter to members of Congress who tomorrow will consider “Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2007” (H.R. 3), which would “amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for human embryonic stem cell research.” A PDF of the Cardinal’s letter is available at this link. Excerpts below:

. . . this is not a matter of supporting vs. opposing progress . . .

. . . After almost three decades of research in mouse embryonic stem cells and nine years in the human variety, researchers can scarcely point to a safe and effective “cure” for any condition in mice let alone human beings . . .

. . . At the same time, ethically sound research using non-embryonic stem cells has continued to advance, helping patients with over 70 conditions in early peer-reviewed studies (see www.stemcellresearch.org) . . .

. . . It now seems that virtually every byproduct of live birth – amniotic fluid, amniotic membrane, placenta, cord blood, and the tissue of the umbilical cord itself – contains stem cells that may rival embryonic stem cells in their flexibility. In other words, the “frozen embryo” so sought by researchers as mere research material is not likely to provide cures in the foreseeable future. Yet if the same embryo were allowed to survive and be born, instead of being killed with Congress’s approval, his or her birth may provide more beneficial stem cells for human treatments, including treatments for this same child’s medical conditions . . .