A CLASH is looming between Queensland Premier Peter Beattie and the Catholic Church over Government plans to use left-over human embryos from IVF programs for stem cell research.
Queensland Bioethics Centre ethicist Ray Campbell said embryonic stem cell harvesting was an issue which went to ‘the very heart of people’s belief about the value of human life and the significance of our choices’.
Mr Beattie said last week that he was prepared to go it alone and allow the use of embryos from IVF programs for stem cell research in Queensland. NSW Premier Bob Carr has indicated a similar position.
Prime Minister John Howard will meet state premiers on April 5 to discuss the issue.
Mr Beattie said that excess IVF embryos were currently allowed to die.
‘I believe that in certain strictly controlled circumstances and with close regulatory oversight,’ he said, ‘stem cells could be taken from these excess embryos.
‘Not one extra embryo would die as a result of this, but many children and adults may live as a result of successful research.’
Mr Beattie said his Government already supported research on stem cells taken from adults, but researchers reported that embryonic cells offered vastly more potential for breakthrough cures for a wide range of diseases.
‘Importantly, we do not support the creation of embryos specifically for medical research and treatment, or the cloning of humans,’ he said.
But Mr Campbell said stem cell harvesting destroyed the embryo.
‘Much is made of the fact that these embryos are going to die anyhow,’ he said. ‘Tragically, that is the case and we should be asking why we have allowed this situation to develop.
‘These embryos were created to help infertile couples have children. But now their parents don’t want them. As they cannot be kept frozen indefinitely they will be allowed to die.
‘But allowing a human being to die in circumstances where nothing else can be done for them is very different from killing human beings and using them for some other purpose.
‘We recognise this distinction at other stages of life. It should be recognised at the embryonic stage as well.
‘It is a distinction which reflects very different attitudes towards the value of life and the respect due to life.’
