by Hilary White
TORONTO, April 20, 2006 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Given the prevalence in the medical community to support the use of living embryos for research, LifeSiteNews is often asked which groups pro-lifers can support with their donations. Last month, LifeSiteNews.com began an ongoing project surveying policies on the use of embryos for research of Canadian medical associations and non-profit disease and injury research and education groups that receive funding from the Canadian government.
The Canadian Institutes of Health Research oversees health care research funding from federal sources and has as its policy support for the use of embryos in experimental research.
Of the ninety groups contacted a handful responded that their organization does not support the use or creation of embryos in medical research.
LifeSiteNews.com asked two questions: “Does your organization support in general the use of human embryos, embryonic stem cells or foetal stem cells or tissue for research purposes?” and “Does your organization directly fund or work to secure public funding for embryonic or foetal tissue research currently?”
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Dalila Bekkaoui of the Canadian Hemochromatosis (Iron Overload in the body) Society wrote, “WE DO NOT support the use of human embryos, embryonic stem cells or foetal stem cells or tissue for research purposes and we do not fund or work to secure public funding for embryonic or foetal tissue research.” (Emphasis in the original.)
NeuroScience Canada responded, “While Neuroscience Canada presently does not fund research using embryonic or fetal stem cells, we will consider applications using these cells given their immense promise and potential for developing therapies for neurodegenerative diseases and nerve injuries, including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, stroke, and spinal cord injury.”
Inez Jabalpurwala, president of NeuroScience Canada, wrote, “When considering such applications, Neuroscience Canada operates under the laws of Canada governing stem cell research, and under the strict moral and ethical guidelines set forth by the Canadian Institute for Health Research.”
The Canadian Celiac Association responded that their board “narrowly” passed support for embryo research in principle, but that their organization does not currently fund or seek funding in this area.
LifeSiteNews.com will continue to provide information on this project as it comes in.Â