Politics
Thursday September 15, 2005
Former Embryo Researcher Produces Play to Explore Ethics of Genetic Selection
TODAY'S HEADLINES
E-MAIL
PRINT
TORONTO, September 15, 2005 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Dr. Jeffrey Nisker is a Professor of Obstetrics-Gynaecology and Oncology, and Coordinator of Medical Ethics and Humanities at the Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario. He spent years in the fertility industry creating, and experimenting upon and destroying, embryonic children.
While Nisker seems far from converting to the pro-life position, radical developments in the IVF industry, including sex and genetic selection of embryos, has prompted him to abandon IVF work and move full time into ethics. He sits on a number of national ethics boards and has contributed to the creation of Canada’s reproductive technologies legislation that was called one of the most deceptive and problematic in the world.
Apart from his academic work in bioethics, Nisker writes plays and stories that explore the issues involved in genetic research. His latest play, “Orchids,” investigates the ethics of genetic selection in artificial conception. Nisker is using the audience reaction to it as a gauge of public opinion on the subject. “Focus groups engage 30 people. We hope to engage 3,000,” says Nisker. “Instead of getting a knee-jerk reaction to a telephone poll, theatre has the power to engage the audience.”
The play’s splash page on the website poses the questions, “What is normal? Who should decide? Can genetic intervention help us determine what life is worth living?” Notably, the substantial website text about the play does not refer to tougher questions such as “Is there a right or wrong on these matters”, “Are there universal moral principles that apply” or “What is not permissible?” Rather, the emphasis appears to be on opinion, perception, feelings - all so typical of modern bioethics.
Despite their complete acceptance of every aspect of modern reproductive technologies and related research, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research has funded Nisker’s theatrical efforts with nearly $250,000.
The play runs in Toronto from September 13-17, at the Al Green Theatre and in Vancouver at the Roundhouse Theatre.
Read the website for the play, Orchids:
http://www.orchids-pgd.ca/index.html
hw
Back to TopLatest Headlines
- Cardinal Rigali: You Can't Claim to be "Reducing Abortions" but Publicly Funding them in D.C.
- General Electric to Use Embryonic Stem Cells for Testing, Phase out Lab Rats
- Ohio Supreme Court Allows Planned Parenthood to Conceal Abortion Records in Sexual Abuse Case
- LifeSiteNews Canada Day and Independence Day Message. Taking a few days off. LSN returns Monday July 6
- Heroically Pro-Life Brazilian Archbishop's Resignation Accepted Under Cloud of Vatican Newspaper Misrepresentation
- Pro-Life Groups Announce New Colorado Personhood Initiative
- Judge Puts Kibosh on DC Gay "Marriage" Referendum
- Al Franken Win Hands Supermajority to Senate Democrats
- Group Funded by Canadian Bishops' D&P Joins with Others to Denounce the "Natural Family" and "Family Rights"
- Financially Troubled Planned Parenthood of El Paso Closes Doors
- Abortion Linked to Subsequent Pre-Term Births, New Research Again Confirms
- New Orleans Homosexual Couple Ask Fed. Court to Overturn Marriage Amendment
- Slim Hope Of New Ontario Progressive Conservative Party Leader Promoting Pro-Life, Pro-Family Issues
- Pope Accepts Resignation of Bishop Caught Involved in Homosexual Encounters
- Young Children Removed from UK Schools for "Inappropriate Sexual Behaviour"
- Northern Ireland Politician Cleared of Wrongdoing after Reiterating Christian Teaching on Homosexual Acts
- UK Conservative Leader Speaks at Gay Pride Fundraiser
- More Letters to the Editor on Canadian Catholic Development and Peace Scandal (July 1)
- Letters to the Editor - Readers Respond to Development and Peace Scandal
- Watch This Dramatic New Video on Catholic Bishops Conference Funding of Pro-Abortion Groups
Most Read this Week
- Homosexual Duke U. Director Charged with Offering Adopted 5-Year-Old for Sex
- Famed Fr. Corapi Calls Canadian Bishops' Dissent from Humanae Vitae "Catastrophic"
- Pope: It is a Childish Faith to Oppose the Church Teaching on Life and Family
- Heroically Pro-Life Brazilian Archbishop's Resignation Accepted Under Cloud of Vatican Newspaper Misrepresentation
- General Electric to Use Embryonic Stem Cells for Testing, Phase Out Lab Rats
- LifeSiteNews Detailed Response to Canadian Bishops' Whitewash Report on Development and Peace
- Young Children Removed from UK Schools for "Inappropriate Sexual Behaviour"
- Is Pro-Choice the New Pro-Life?
- Swedish Parents Won't Tell if Child is Boy or Girl as Gender Experiment
- Cardinal Rigali: You Can't Claim to be "Reducing Abortions" but Publicly Funding them in D.C.
MORE NEWS: 
LifeSiteNews.com Home Page Last 10 Days Archives Special Reports
Copyright © LifeSiteNews.com. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivatives License. You may republish this article or portions of it without request provided the content is not altered and it is clearly attributed to "LifeSiteNews.com". Any website publishing of complete or large portions of original LifeSiteNews articles MUST additionally include a live link to www.LifeSiteNews.com. The link is not required for excerpts. Republishing of articles on LifeSiteNews.com from other sources as noted is subject to the conditions of those sources.