10/20/2005

Christian Medical Association Fails to See Big Picture in Study Outcome
Catholic Priest and Ethicist Welcomes Study on Altered Nuclear Transfer

THORNWOOD, New York, Oct. 20 /Christian Wire Service/ -- In response to criticism of a journal study released Monday, a leading Catholic bioethicist is encouraged by its results. "This study is a step in the right direction. Scientific interest in human embryos and their stem cells is here to stay. We need to work toward ethically sound solutions that can minimize and diminish the growing demand for embryos as much as possible" says Fr. Thomas Berg, L.C., director of The Westchester Institute for Ethics and the Human Person, a Catholic ethics think-tank.

On Monday, the journal Nature reported that MIT researchers Alexander Meissner and Rudolf Jaenisch have, for the first time, used a technique called 'altered nuclear transfer' on laboratory mice to get embryonic stem cells purportedly without destroying a mouse embryo. "I personally welcome this study with great interest. The scientific desire to play with human embryos will continue to grow. ANT (the second of two experiments reported in Nature on Monday) might give us a way to offer scientists a suitable embryo substitute," Fr. Berg continued.

According to Fr. Berg, "discussion of ANT is important because it propels us toward scientifically acceptable alternatives to embryo destructive research."

But in a press release issued by the Christian Medical Association, CMA Executive Director Dr. David Stevens accused the MIT researchers of creating a mouse embryo "with a genetic time bomb."

Fr. Berg distinguishes between the two different studies the journal article cites and believes discrediting the ANT proposal is a misstep for the pro-life community. "I wholeheartedly share Dr. Stevens' outright rejection of the first procedure performed by Robert Lanza of Advanced Cell Technology," said Fr. Berg. "This procedure begins from what we know with certainty to be a viable embryo, and then proceeds to remove one of its 8 cells which would then be used to grow a line of stem cells. How could one ever be certain of doing this without cause irreparable harm to this embryonic individual? "

However, the second procedure called 'altered nuclear transfer' (ANT), explained Fr. Berg, "proposes to create what we know not to be an embryo for use in developing stem cell lines." Referring to Dr. Steven's suggestion that ANT creates an embryo programmed for its own demise, Fr. Berg responded that "this remark suggests that he understands neither the science behind the proposal nor the motives of the scientists who attempted the experiment."

"Right now, no one can say for sure what Dr. Jaenisch produced," said Fr. Berg. "But the scientific data produced so far makes us tend to think that Jaenisch produced a disordered structure of cells—not a mouse embryo. If it wasn't an embryo, then we may be on the road to an ethically acceptable alternative. But more consideration is still necessary before we can be certain."

A committed Catholic priest and advocate for the dignity of human life, Fr. Berg warned that the pro-life community "errs very seriously if we believe successes in adult stem cell therapies will one day make interest in embryonic stem cells and embryos go away. The interest in embryos goes way beyond therapies," he said. Fr. Berg believes ANT might constitute a step away from a future in which embryo-destructive research is common place. "We would do well to consider it very carefully" says Fr. Berg.

Responding to why the average person - 'Joe on the street' - should care about what they did here at MIT, Fr. Berg speak very frankly, "Because 25 years from now "Joe" might be disturbed that we live in a world where embryos are mass produced, factory style, where a whole embryonic race of humans exists solely to be used (and destroyed) in research. What happened at MIT might be a first step away from that future."