Here’s a fact: A recent survey shows more than 60% of Americans don’t support spending taxpayer dollars on embryonic stem cell research that destroys human life.

And here’s another fact: The Caste-DeGette legislation Congress will vote on today does just that.

It’s not often in politics that you can make everyone happy, but we have a rare chance to do that on the issue of stem cell research.  We can appease the half that wants to fund the most promising stem cell research at any cost, and the half that wants to fund it while also respecting the sanctity of life. We can meet the scientific and medical need for stem cell research and maintain the ethical standards that have always driven American research. 

How you might ask? By passing legislation that funds non-destructive stem cell research.

I hope all my readers understand a few important facts about this debate, facts that are often lost in the political rhetoric that surrounds stem cell research. 

Fact one: promising research – indeed cures – have been developed from adult stem cells and umbilical cord blood.  Neither of these techniques sacrifice life for science.

Fact two: scientists are very close to deriving embryonic and embryonic-like stem cells without destroying human embryos.  I have introduced legislation to fund this ethical research, and you can learn more about that bill by clicking HERE.

Fact three: between state governments and the private sector there is nearly $4 billion committed to embryonic stem cell research over the next 10 years.  That’s right: Congress is not debating whether or not embryonic stem cell research is legal in this country, but rather whether it should be federally funded.

The bill Congress is debating today is a grave misuse of taxpayer dollars, and the American people should know that science has given us ways to avoid this ethical dilemma all together.  Sadly, it appears science has moved much faster than our government, so we’re debating outdated legislation for destructive research when far better alternatives exist.

As a pro-life OB-GYN physician, I am imploring my colleagues to look at the research, study the facts, and understand that we don’t have to sacrifice human embryos – human life! – to further science.

I’ll post more on this debate throughout the day.

This entry was posted on Thursday, June 7th, 2007 at 9:00 am and is filed under 11th Congressional District, Abortion, Conservative Values, Gingrey Legislation, Healthcare. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.