Fed: Stem cell bill crosses the moral line - ethicist
CANBERRA, Aug 27 AAP - MPs who voted for laws allowing research on excess IVF embryoswould be voting for the large-scale destruction of innocent embryonic human beings, abio-ethicist said today.
John Fleming, the director of the independent, non-denominational Southern Cross BioethicsInstitute, said the legislation being debated in parliament allowing embryonic stem cellresearch crossed a moral line.
"It will, in principle, allow innocent embryonic human beings to be killed for theperceived benefit of society as a whole," he said in a booklet delivered to all MPs andsenators.
"The terms of that legislative permission are so wide that the demands for embryosto be used for research will far outstrip the number of embryos the bill allows to beused for destructive experimental purposes."
Dr Fleming said the debate on embryonic research was being driven by a preoccupationwith embryonic stem cell research.
"The truth is that only a few embryos would be required for that purpose," he said.
"The bill before parliament provides for the widest possible use of human embryos inresearch that has absolutely nothing to do with stem cells."
Dr Fleming said MPs needed to understand the bill would allow maximum opportunity forthe destruction of human embryos provided the research applied for promised beneficialscientific outcomes.
"A vote for this bill is a vote for the large scale destruction of human embryos, inthe name of science, and for the alleged benefit of humankind," he said.
"We would not tolerate such a law for any other group of human beings.
"Why should embryonic human beings be treated so differently?"
AAP sm/daw/mg/de
KEYWORD: STEMCELL ETHICIST
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