WASHINGTON, Feb 2 (LifeSiteNews) – Zenit News reports that the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) has decided to extend the deadline for public comment on a revised set of guidelines for stem cell research.
A report published by the pro-life committee of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops notes that the draft government document on stem cells justifies the destruction of human embryos “by, among other things, the prospect that use of the resulting cells may reduce the need to use ‘laboratory animals’ for drug testing” (p. 67576). “The human embryo ranks lower in status than a laboratory rat,” says the Bishop’s letter.
“The guidelines instruct researchers in how to harvest versatile ‘stem cells’ from living week-old human embryos, a procedure which kills the embryos. They also establish standards for harvesting similar cells from dead unborn children following induced abortions,” say the bishops. They warn, “only a large volume of critical comments by taxpayers will convince federal lawmakers that people do care about this moral atrocity.”
Comments should be sent to “Stem Cell Guidelines” at:
NIH Office of Science Policy
1 Center Drive
Building 1, Room 218
Bethesda, MD
20892
Fax to: (301) 402-0280
E-mail to: [email protected]
The NIH Guidelines can be viewed online here.
See the Bishops letter here.