News

By Peter J. Smith

CALGARY, Alberta, August 9, 2006 (LifeSiteNews.com) – For the first time in Alberta, Canada, a University of Calgary scientist will begin destructive experiments on human embryos in order to procure their stem cells for scientific research, according to the Calgary Herald.

The research, however, is only part of a greater undertaking led by the University of British Columbia and the University of Toronto that seeks to experiment on “fresh” human embryos, that is, embryos that are not “leftover” and frozen, but directly donated from in vitro fertility (IVF) clinics.

Dr. Derrick Rancourt, an associate University of Calgary professor, who has experimented with mouse embryonic stem cells, and has conducted experiments on human embryos for reasons other than stem-cell research, expects to begin experiments on human embryos at his Calgary laboratory in the ensuing months.

‘‘We have this expertise and we’ve been asked to participate (in this project),’’ said Rancourt according to the Calgary Herald. ‘‘I kind of feel like it’s our responsibility.’‘

Rancourt plans to experiment with leftover human embryos donated by couples from the local fertility clinic, which he claims would otherwise be discarded. He will develop the embryos until a stage at which he may extract stem cells from the human embryo, killing it.

However, the national project led by UBS and U of T plans to use “fresh” human embryos for the first time in Canada for embryonic stem-cell research, once federal regulators approve $523,000 allotted to their project.

‘‘It’s basically the development of technologies that would allow one to ultimately pursue therapies from embryonic stem cells,’’ said project leader and UBC researcher Dr. James Piret.
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  The Calgary research has evoked outrage from pro-life Canadians, who deplore the callous use of human life as material for scientific research.

‘‘They are human beings,’’ said Joanne Byfield of Alberta Pro Life. ‘‘That should place them above being used and abused and killed for research.’‘

One small consolation may be that the local Calgary IVF clinic is currently denying Rancourt the use of “fresh” human embryos, although his experiments will also include frozen human embryos.

‘‘It’s so controversial, I’m not going to touch it,’’ said Dr. Cal Greene of the Calgary-based Regional Fertility Program. Greene has declined to provide embryos for Rancourt’s lab for the time being, although he claims to have no personal opposition to the practice.

Although a number of scientists have purported embryonic stem cells to be the panacea for all sorts of ills, many scientists and bio-ethicists, including Fr. Tadeusz Pacholczyk, one of the foremost bio-ethicists of the Catholic Church, have argued that the grandiose claims of embryonic stem-cell researchersÂare largely myth (https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2006/jul/06072709.html ). Such deception by scientists and willing allies in the media is said to have sacrificed the true potential of the ethically unproblematic adult stem cells. (https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2006/jun/06061311.html )

See previous LifeSite coverage about embryonic vs. adult stem cell use:

Adult Stem Cell Research: True Potential Sacrificed for Other Possibilities Says Biotech Writer
https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2006/jun/06061311.html

Catholic Church NOT Opposed to Stem Cell Research: Catholic Bioethicist
https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2006/jul/06072709.html

Why Embryonic Stem Cell Research? It’s About Human Engineering, Not Ending Disease
https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2006/may/06050902.html