According to this article, embryonic stem cells for research are drawn at the blastocysts stage. Infertility clinics create and freeze thousands of these a year (why?) with 90% of them being discarded in the end. The debate now is whether scientists should be allowed to research on these embryos destined for destruction. My belief in science and the scientific process predispose me to side with the scientists as there is great medical potential in stem cell therapy. However, even from a philosophical standpoint, the pro-life argument doesn't really hold water since these embryos are being created and destroyed anyway by fertility clinics. Until the anti-stem cell position decides to boycott infertility treatments as well, I can't help but find their views/beliefs to be inconsistent. The article sums the sentiment up well: "Evidently it is acceptable for embryos to be created and sacrificed if the intention is to make it possible for one or two others to develop into full-fledged human beings. But, if the beneficiaries are already full-fledged human beings, they're on their own."
Hard Cells
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