LSI Insights

The Ethics in Favor of Stem Cell Research

My husband and I were always meant to be the parents of our daughters, Rosemary and Rita Mei. But in the course of becoming a family through adoption, we—like 10% of couples in the U.S.—underwent treatment for infertility. For most couples that undergo in vitro fertilization (IVF), one outcome is that more embryos are created than are used in the treatment. Yet, under Michigan law, those 8-celled clusters cannot be used in life-saving medical research. It is lawful to freeze them in perpetuity or to destroy them but not to put them to good use in developing treatments for diseases like diabetes, cancer and Alzheimer's disease.

This waste is unethical and must be stopped. Each day in the laboratories where I work, scientists are making breathtaking advances in our understanding of life and in how to treat disease. Embryonic stem cells are a key tool for understanding and treating the underlying causes of disease. While it is true that adult stem cells are also important, embryonic stem cells are the only cells that can develop into any other type of cell—and embryos are the only source for new stem cell lines. Existing stem cell lines are limited in number and genetic diversity and cannot be used to study inherited human diseases. Why should we fight for human health with one hand tied behind our back when there are embryos available that will otherwise be frozen forever or discarded?

We can set and enforce appropriate limits on the use of leftover embryos in research. Scientists who are permitted to do this work have already voluntarily adopted rigorous guidelines. These include only using embryos slated for disposal and making sure that couples give a voluntary, informed consent to donating their embryos for research. The rules prohibit the creation of embryos solely for research purposes and paying for embryos used in research. And, of course, the rules prohibit reproductive cloning.

Some opponents of stem cell research argue that frozen embryos should be preserved for use by other couples desiring a family. If there is a way to help others by the voluntary donation of leftover embryos, I would be in favor of it. But, there are so many embryos in storage—400,000 in the U.S. alone according to a 2003 RAND report—that we do not have to choose between these options. The best estimate of the number of couples that would choose to implant a leftover embryo is tiny in comparison to the embryos available for research. In fact, in a survey announced in July of this year, only 22% of surveyed couples with frozen embryos would be willing to donate those embryos to other couples while 60% would be willing to provide those embryos for stem cell research.

As native Michigander, I am concerned about the economic outlook in our state and I wonder if my daughters will be able to thrive here as adults. Will our community continue to be the special place I grew up in if we cannot build a new base for our economy? When it comes to stem cell research, our laws are the most restrictive in the nation, tied for last place with South Dakota. Scientists in Michigan would go to jail for doing research that California, New Jersey, Maryland, Illinois, and other states are supporting with taxpayer dollars. If there was ever a time to clear away the barriers to economic and scientific progress, this is it. It is time to change our laws and stop the senseless waste of embryos that can be used today—in our state—to make life better for many other individuals and families.

— Liz Barry, Managing Director, Life Sciences Institute

A similar version of this essay appeared in the Detroit Free Press in May 2007

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