Bishops hold back progress, says AHA

Bishops Hold Back Progress, Say Humanists

For Immediate Release - Contact: Fred Edwords at (202) 238-9088

(Washington, D.C., June 13, 2008) The American
Humanist Association denounced today's document issued by the United States’
Roman Catholic bishops in which the bishops "warned" against the "moral
dangers" of embryonic stem cell research. The document states that "no
commitment to a hoped-for 'greater good' can erase or diminish the wrong of
directly taking innocent human lives here and now."

In response, the American Humanist Association warned against the harm to
the common good that would result from any delays caused by the bishops'
statement. "Once again the Roman Catholic Church has made medieval
doctrine a stumbling block to medical and social progress," declared Fred
Edwords, the organization's director of communications. “The Church
routinely decries science in the name of life. But stem cell research is
already on its way to developing breakthrough treatments for devastating
diseases. And if we ever hope to see real progress
against diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, and Alzheimer's syndrome, we need to
set aside the outdated condemnations of a faith that is becoming less
relevant with each passing day. The position of the bishops is in fact
anti-life when it impedes the search for real, here-and-now cures
to terminal illnesses."

As stated in the following resolution of the American Humanist Association,
passed at its meeting Wednesday, June 4 in Washington DC, "The American
Humanist Association supports research utilizing stem cells from embryonic
as well as other sources and federal funding for such research commensurate
with its potential to advance scientific knowledge and lead to the
development of novel therapies. Further, we encourage the development of
ethical guidelines for such applications through the use of reason rather
than religious or political doctrine."

AHA President Mel Lipman, added "Humanists value human life, and believe
that every person has inherent worth and is entitled to be treated with
dignity and compassion. Humanists do not see a moral equivalence between a
cluster of unformed cells and living, breathing human beings. It is
therefore our obligation to support research that could have a positive
impact on the lives of millions around the world."

The full statement appears below.

AMERICAN HUMANIST ASSOCIATION
RESOLUTION
SUPPORTING THE USE OF HUMAN STEM CELLS
IN RESEARCH AND THERAPY

Adopted by the Board of Directors
June 2008

Inspired by compassion and informed by reason, Humanists are committed to
the treatment of each person as having inherent worth and dignity. In
recognizing the potential of the medical and biological sciences to improve
human lives through the cure of debilitating diseases, amelioration of
suffering, and reduction of the consequences of aging, Humanists oppose
efforts to constrain the advance of beneficial scientific research on the
basis of religious or political dogma.

WHEREAS research using human embryonic stem cells holds great potential for
treatment of Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, spinal cord
injuries, and other debilitating afflictions, and

WHEREAS stem cells possess the unique capacity to differentiate into any
somatic tissue, thus creating an unprecedented wealth of potential
investigative and therapeutic applications and

WHEREAS the derivation of additional stem cell lines will greatly facilitate
important research and its translation into therapeutic benefit and

WHEREAS stem cells derived from preimplantation blastocysts are the most
plentiful source of such stem cell lines and

WHEREAS embryos obtained or derived for research or therapeutic purposes
with the informed consent of the donor and are not destined for personhood
and have no independent moral status and

WHEREAS embryonic stem cells derived from the process commonly referred to
as “Therapeutic Cloning” (the transfer of a somatic cell nucleus into an
enucleated egg) as well as stem cells obtained by the manipulation of
somatic cells by artificial means may have particular value in regenerative
medicine by providing cells that are a perfect match for patients

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the American Humanist Association supports
research utilizing stem cells from embryonic as well as other sources and
federal funding for such research commensurate with its potential to advance
scientific knowledge and lead to the development of novel therapies.
Further, we encourage the development of ethical guidelines for such
applications through the use of reason rather than religious or political
doctrine.

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The American Humanist Association ( www.americanhumanist.org ) advocates for
the rights and viewpoints of humanists. Founded in 1941 and headquartered in
Washington, D.C., its work is extended through more than 100 local chapters
and affiliates across America.