Right to Life of Southwest Indiana supports adult stem cell research, but opposes embryonic stem cell research.
The use of embryonic stem cells for research involves the destruction of blastocysts formed from laboratory-fertilized human eggs. Thus, embryonic stem cell research results in the death of a developing human being. Right to Life means that life begins at conception, and the blastocyst is a human life. Destroying this human life is unacceptable and immoral. Sources of adult stem cells include umbilical cords, cord blood, and placentas. Use of these types of cells in research and treatment of disease is acceptable since it does not result in the death of a human embryo.
Although more than 70 diseases have been treated as a result of adult stem cell research, zero diseases have been treated as a result of embryonic stem cell research.
