wfn.org | [ENS] Episcopal Church leaders praise new stem cell research bill

["Matthew Davies" <mdavies@episcopalchurch.org>]

Wednesday, May 25, 2005

Episcopal Church leaders praise new stem cell research bill

By Jan Nunley

ENS 052505-1

[Episcopal News Service] -- Episcopalians offered praise for the passage
of
rare bipartisan legislation expanding research of donated stem cells
derived
from human embryos after in vitro fertilization. The bill, H.R. 810, the
Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2005, passed by a vote of 238-194
and
was co-sponsored 200 legislators, including 13 Episcopal members of
Congress.

Domestic policy analyst John Johnson, of the church's Office of
Government
Relations in Washington, D.C., praised the action by the House of
Representatives. "Attention on the issue now goes to the Senate, where
similar legislation (S. 471) also has strong bipartisan support, despite
the
threat of a presidential veto, and could be considered this year,"
Johnson
said.

A letter signed by Maureen Shea and Dr. Cynthia B. Cohen was sent to the
House in support of the measure. Shea is the director of the Office of
Government Relations in Washington, D.C., and Cohen was a member of the
Ethics and the New Genetics Task Force established by Executive Council
after the 2000 General Convention. The Task Force reported to the 2003
General Convention a resolution (A014) titled "Support Human Embryonic
Stem
Cell Research," which was considered and passed. That resolution and the
report to the General Convention from the Task Force were the basis for
the
letter sent to Congress.

"As stewards of creation, we are called to help mend and renew the world
in
many ways. The Episcopal Church celebrates medical research as this
research
expands our knowledge of God's creation and empowers us to bring
potential
healing to those who suffer from disease or disability," the letter
stated.
"We appreciate the thorough and sensitive approach the authors and
co-sponsors of this legislation have taken in crafting the Stem Cell
Research Enhancement Act of 2005 and urge its passage when the full
House
considers this important measure."

Like the Episcopal Church's resolution, the bill specifies that human
embryonic stem cells would be eligible for use in research if the cells
meet
specific the criteria. The legislation requires that stem cells derived
from
human embryos must be donated from in vitro fertilization clinics where
the
cells were created for fertility treatment and were in excess of the
clinical need of the individuals seeking treatment. Donors must have
informed consent without financial inducements, and it must be
determined by
the donors that the embryos would never be implanted in a woman and
therefore discarded.

The Task Force reported to the 2003 General Convention, "In recent
years,
biomedical investigators have explored the possibility that the use of
human
stem cells might be effective in treating such diseases as Alzheimer's,
Parkinson's, stroke, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and spinal cord
injuries."

The report concluded, "Early embryos remaining after [in vitro
fertilization] procedures have ended could morally be donated for
embryonic
stem cell research. If these embryos are donated for stem cell
investigations, they could assist promising research that might enable
those
who are seriously ill with little hope of recovery to be healed."

-- The Rev. Jan Nunley is deputy for communication for the Episcopal
Church.

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