wfn.org | Health and Social Issues Committee tackles abortion issues

[PCUSA NEWS <PCUSA.NEWS@ecunet.org>]

Note #6639 from PCUSA NEWS to PRESBYNEWS:

12-June-2001
GA01081

Health and Social Issues Committee tackles abortion issues

by Nancy Rodman

LOUISVILLE, June 12 - After an evening of emotionally charged hearings and a
day of low key and civil debate, the Assembly Committee on Health and Social
Issues prepared its recommendations to the 213th General Assembly of the
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).

	The committee will recommend that the commissioners to the annual business
meeting of the PC (USA) approve "A Statement on the Ethical and Moral
Implications of Stem Cell and Fetal Tissue Research."  Recognizing both the
great progress in stem cell and fetal tissue research and the complexity of
the moral issues involved, the proposed ethical guidelines would, if
approved, offer moral and ethical guidance on the use of tissue derived from
fetuses, subjecting it to appropriate limitations.  Under the guidelines,
the decision to have an abortion would be separate from the decision to
donate fetal tissue and the sale or commercialization of fetal tissue would
be legally prohibited.  Research with stem cells obtained from human embryos
would be conducted only when the goals to be accomplished are compelling and
unreachable by other means.  As with the use of fetal tissue, sale or
commercialization of embryonic tissue would be legally prohibited.

	The committee will recommend that the Assembly disapprove a resolution
calling for the establishment of a special committee to conduct a study of
abortion in a biblical and theological context.  The last such study was
completed in 1992.  A minority report recommending the study is anticipated.

	The committee will also recommend that the Assembly disapprove a directive
that the Board of Pensions require notification of a parent at least
forty-eight hours in advance of any abortion performed on a minor child.

The committee will ask the Assembly to refer the remaining two
abortion-related overtures (01-26 and 01-47) to the Advisory Committee on
Litigation and the Advisory Committee on Social Witness Policy.  Both
concern late-term abortions, an issue already before the two advisory
committees.

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