Hearings present opportunity to clarify false perception that pro-life groups opposed to stem cell progress.
The Pro Life Campaign has welcomed the hearings which are taking place in Brussels this morning on the ‘One of Us’ European Citizens Initiative.
The hearings which are organised by the European Parliament’s Research, Legal Affairs and Development Committees, were granted after 1.7 million European citizens signed a petition asking that the European Commission discontinue funding any activities that destroy human embryos. The petition was supported by pro-life groups in Ireland and signed by thousands of Irish people.
Cora Sherlock, Deputy Chairperson of the Pro Life Campaign said:
“These hearings which have come about because so many Europeans oppose activities which destroy human life, present an opportunity to challenge the false perception that pro-life groups are opposed to stem cell research. Nothing could be further from the truth. Pro-life groups are among the strongest advocates of stem cell research. What we oppose is research that destroys human life at its earliest stages.”
She continued:
“The fact is that we have seen huge advances in non-controversial adult stem cell research. All of the major medical breakthroughs in recent years have been in the area of ethically-sound research yet much of the hype has centred around embryonic stem cell research which destroys human life and has resulted in no significant medical or scientific advances.”
And she added:
“It is not just pro-life groups who are saying this. Companies like the US-based Geron Corporation which invested millions of dollars in destructive embryonic stem cell research programmes discontinued the research in 2011 because it was yielding no results.”
“The hearings today also help to bring some ethical focus to this debate. We must not destroy life to prolong life. Rather we must strive for cures we can all live with.”
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