Life News
Dr. Francis Collins has not shown any pro-life leadership at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). In fact, in an interview, Dr. Collins‘ response to a congressional letter outlining pro-life members’ concerns dripped with condescension, implying that the group of 41 congressmen understood neither the science nor the ethics of embryo and stem cell experiments. Dr. Collins owes us an apology. We know the science, use the scientifically accurate terms and know the ethical facts. Dr. Collins‘ positions at NIH have not been pro-life.
His lack of pro-life leadership might have been expected when he served under the previous administration, which was the antithesis of pro-life. However, now Dr. Collins has agreed to work for President Trump, who campaigned on a pro-life agenda. Will Dr. Collins change his positions and adjust his agenda? When will we have a pro-life NIH Director who reflects the policy of our president?
As one example of the void in pro-life leadership, Dr. Collins designed and oversees the NIH registry of human embryonic stem cell lines, a listing of cells — created by destroying young human embryos — that are eligible for hundreds of millions in federal taxpayer dollars. Dr. Collins continuously approves cells for this registry, and did so most recently in March and again in June of this year.
The registry has created a cottage industry for those who want to destroy human embryos and then reap taxpayer dollars for their efforts. The establishment of the registry created an incentive for further destruction of young human embryos, under the guise of expanding scientific research and providing more “experimental material.” Dr. Collins called it “important, life-saving research,” despite the fact that embryonic stem cells have to this day not saved a single human life nor proven to have any near-term success in patients.
His lack of pro-life leadership might have been expected when he served under the previous administration, which was the antithesis of pro-life. However, now Dr. Collins has agreed to work for President Trump, who campaigned on a pro-life agenda. Will Dr. Collins change his positions and adjust his agenda? When will we have a pro-life NIH Director who reflects the policy of our president?
As one example of the void in pro-life leadership, Dr. Collins designed and oversees the NIH registry of human embryonic stem cell lines, a listing of cells — created by destroying young human embryos — that are eligible for hundreds of millions in federal taxpayer dollars. Dr. Collins continuously approves cells for this registry, and did so most recently in March and again in June of this year.
The registry has created a cottage industry for those who want to destroy human embryos and then reap taxpayer dollars for their efforts. The establishment of the registry created an incentive for further destruction of young human embryos, under the guise of expanding scientific research and providing more “experimental material.” Dr. Collins called it “important, life-saving research,” despite the fact that embryonic stem cells have to this day not saved a single human life nor proven to have any near-term success in patients.
Eight years after its inception, the registry is nothing more than an embryonic charnel house. The stem cell lines sit as names and numbers on the registry, memorial markers to the lives of the human embryos destroyed in the name of science.
