True Hope or Illusion: The Capacity of Stem Cells – A Moral Evaluation

(Prof. Jose Vidamor B. Yu, Manila)

The scientific researches concerning stem cells had been a controversy among science and religious circles in the past few years. The new method of creating new stem cells from an early human embryo has to be evaluated in the light of faith and morals because of the involvement of a human individual at the early stage of life. The problems arising between scientists and moralists regarding stem cell researches, has displayed reactions from the Church because of its ethical concerns.

Stem Cells in Scientific Research

The hopeful promises and expectations of advanced biotechnology to improve human life are closely monitored and studied by the Church and scientists today. From the point of view of the medical world, the creation of new organs from stem cells expects to meet the demands of organ transplants and organ donations. The demands for stem cells are relatively high among the pharmaceutical industries. It is believed that due to the hopes of stem cells, institutions and governments sought to raise funds to promote further researches. The idea behind a stem cell research is to take embryo cells that have the potential to become any type of cell, be it liver, heart, nerve, pancreas or blood, and grow them in petri dishes, adding chemicals to turn them into replacement cells to cure common diseases. Through the advancement of stem cell technology, a person with diabetes, for example, would get pancreas cells to replace ones that have died. Someone with Parkinson’s disease would get replacement unproductive or worn out brain cells.

Scientific researches suggest that stem cells hope to cure paralysis in cases of spinal cord injury. Stem cell biologists are hopeful through their discoveries and studies that if a paralyzed person is ever to walk again it would be the power of the human embryonic stem cells. Stem cells hope to address every human disease. Scientists believe that embryonic stem cells may be able to yield treatments for a wide range of human ailments, which seemed to be impossible to cure in the past. They believed that time will come that stem cells may be able to address the illnesses which thought to be impossible in the history of medicine. It is believed that these cells will address cures from Parkinson’s disease to cancer to diabetes. Moreover, because the cells can grow into any type of tissue in the body, researchers hope to use them to generate new brain cells, veins, bones, even entire organs. It was noted by the news that they also foresee using the cells to create genetically uniform tissues that could be used in studies to develop better drugs.

The Statement of the European Bishops on the Stem Cell Program expressed the Church’s disappointment and concern regarding the decision of the European Council of Ministers on July 24, 2006, which promotes more scientific researches and funding for that program. The reaction came following the program that provides for the funding of research and consequent destruction of human embryos. The title of the Statement speaks out the Church’s concern on the advancement of biotechnology as being mindful of its moral principles- “Setback for the Protection of Embryos: The European Union Faces a Major Bioethical Challenge.” Although it was reported that some companies had claimed a new technique to create stem cells without harming the original embryos. It is in any form of intervention to an embryo at a very early stage of development and removing a single cell, which demanded moral discernment. They believed that with only one cell removed, the rest of the embryo retains its full potential for development. If the Church’s teaching holds that in-vitro fertilization is morally wrong because it replaces the conjugal union between husband and wife and often results in the destruction of embryos, it is in the same manner the church condemns all forms of experimentation on human embryos because of its implications like the morality of manipulation and intervention of life in progress.

Human life at the Start of Fertilization

Regardless of the new method of creating stem cells from a human embryo and its subsequent funding from companies and agencies supporting it due to its promise that the method will not destroy it, challenged ethical principles in the Church today. The news regarding the results of an experiment carried out by Robert Lanza of Advanced Cell Technology Inc. in Alameda, California, in which stem cells were derived from a single-cell biopsy technique that left the human embryo intact has drawn the Church to promote its ethical principles concerning the value of human life even at the early stages of its development. The Church holds firm to its principle that life begins at the moment of fertilization and any manipulation of the human embryo is morally impermissible. Life begins at fertilization and should be defended because of its sacredness and vulnerability. John Paul II says, that “human life finds itself most vulnerable when it enters the world and when it leaves the realm of time to embark upon eternity.” (Evangelium Vitae 44)

Human life is sacred and all men must recognize that fact. From its very inception it reveals the creating hand of God. Anyone who violates the sacredness of human life even from its early stages of development degrades the value of humanity and offends divine majesty. (cf MM 194) Paul VI clarifies this saying that, right from fertilization human life begins and the adventure of man initiates. The respect for life is manifested in how man values life. The respect for human life is called for from the time that the process of generation begins. This means that the human being has rights by the time the ovum is fertilized. Life is begun which is neither that of the father nor of the mother, it is rather the life of a new human being with his own growth. It would never be made human if it were not human already. (cf Declaration on Procured Abortion 13-14)

Threat to Life

Faith is not opposed to science. Science is supposed to be at the service of man to improve the quality of life, facilitate him to reach his destination and to protect him from all dangers that threaten life. The Church promotes what could process fuller personality development and what will help men discover and affirm his own rights. (cf GS 41) Man recognizes in him a thirst for fullness of life and meaning of his own existence. Science is expected to provide the cravings of the human heart and to help man diminish the threats against life. The Church proclaims the rights of man in order for him to fully realize himself in the world. She acknowledges and holds in high esteem the dynamic approach of today which is fostering these rights all over the world. (cf GS 41)

Any violation of life from the moment of existence may be a threat to other forms of life. Human life is sacred and inviolable at every moment of human existence, including the initial phase which precedes birth. The new positive claims following the advancements of stem cells pose new questions ethically as well as the Church firmly maintains its principle that life begins at fertilization and any intervention not in favor of it is morally unacceptable. The value human life in its totality goes beyond the questions, which have to do with human sciences. Human embryos involve the totality of human life even as this early stage of growth. Paul VI prudently says, that “the question of human procreation, like every other question which touches human life, involves more than the limited aspects specific to such disciplines as biology, psychology, demography or sociology. It is the whole man and the whole mission to which he is called that must be considered: both its natural, earthly aspects and its supernatural, eternal aspects.” (Humanae Vitae 7)

In the various experimentation regarding human embryos with the hope of saving other lives is morally impermissible. The Church rejects all forms of human embryo experimentations and research that would lead to the destruction and the killing of a human being in progress. Therefore, any intervention against the life and sacredness of the embryo is a violation of human right. In the article by Braude, P., Minger, S., Warwick, Ruth entitled “Stem Cell Therapy: Hope or Hype?” commented that even those scientists who are in favor of step cell research advancements and treatments admitted that “large hurdles still need to be overcome to ensure safety and efficacy of embryonic stem cells.” In spite of the stem cell scientists’ claim of the various positive treatments these stem cells could effectively carry out, several unconstructive effects result due to cell manipulation. That article mentioned earlier wrote: “a single embryonic stem cell line could be used for many hundreds, if not thousands of patients exponentially amplifying the potential risk of disease transmission.” In a separate article by Andy Coghlan “Old Stem Cells Can Turn Cancerous” (New Scientist 21 April 2005) says that extensive multiplication of stem cells from fat could cause these cells to be cancer forming. There is no true hope in the capacity of embryonic stem cells to provide secure human life conditions in spite of the foreseen positive effects they promise. As observed, embryonic stem cells have the greater risk of tumor formation, cancers and other unpredictable defects.

The Church Moral Concern

Over the past two decades, the scientific advancements among highly technological countries have been in a rapid pace. However, it does not guarantee that whatever is technologically possible be morally permissible. The Church has to evaluate and responsibly pronounce whatever is good and moral for the Church and people. The Pontifical Academy of Life had issued a declaration regarding the production on the scientific and therapeutic use of Human Embryonic Cells, which firmly opposes the use embryonic cells for research and scientific applications that endangers the life of an individual from its early stages of development. The Church opposes this project with these following reasons:

First, the human embryo is a human being. It is a human subject with a definite identity. The manipulation of the human embryo may cause damage and destruction of life. Although man is capable of freely exercising his ingenuity, he is bound with truth and freedom. Exercising freedom creates human values because true freedom enjoys in the truth. John Paul II says that human freedom would thus be able to “create values” and would enjoy a primacy over truth, to the point that truth itself would be considered a creation of freedom. (VS 35)

Second, the declaration issued by the Pontifical Academy of Life clearly upholds that a human embryo is considered as an individual with full rights to life and development. Thus, any manipulation or intervention that threaten the existence of human embryo would be a violation of the human right to life.

Third, the declaration says that the ablation of the inner cell mass (ICM) not only destroys but curtails the development of the human embryo. Stem cells researches impede development and destroy life. It is an attack to the sacredness of family life. It is the primary role of parents and every individual to defend and protect life. The transmission of life is the vocation of parents and serious role they receive from God. Paul VI reminds us that the transmission of human life is a most serious role in which married people collaborate freely and responsibly with God the Creator. It has always been a source of great joy to them, even though it sometimes entails many difficulties and hardships. (Humanae Vitae 1) Therefore, life of defenseless human being has to be protected and be secured from any form of manipulation. The declaration says that the abation of the inner cell mass (ICM) of the blastocyst, which critically and irremediably damages the human embryo, curtailing its development, is a gravely immoral act and consequently is gravely illicit.

Fourth, according to the declaration, the use of stem cells for the preparation of other differentiated cells to be used in what look to be promising therapeutic procedures is unacceptable and its promises are illusory. The use of stem cells does not guarantee the good end. Man has the right to exist and reach the fullness of his life. Man is called to a fullness of life, which far exceeds the dimensions of his earthly existence, because it consists in sharing the very life of God. (Evangelium Vitae 1) There is no true protection of rights and guarantee for the fullness of life in the manipulation of stem cells. The intervention of man or scientist to the embryo is depriving the human being to receive the fullness of the gift of life. John Paul II continues to remind us that the deliberate decision to deprive an innocent human being of his life is always morally evil and can never be licit either as an end in itself or as a means to a good end. (Evangelium Vitae 57)

Fifth, the Church continuously upholds the existence of life and the dignity of the human person beginning from his conception. The declaration vividly recalls the moral position of the Church regarding as to when life begins. It says that the human being is to be respected and treated as a person from the moment of conception; and therefore from that same moment his rights as a person must be recognized, among which in the first place is the inviolable right of every innocent human being to life.

The Vocation of Man towards the Truth

Every human being is called towards the truth. Man has the vocation to defend and promote the truth. However, technological development, in spite of its good and beneficial results to improve human living conditions, may fall short of its achievements and may create false promises. The Church considers all forms of stem cell research using human embryos as morally unacceptable. In spite of the various promises companies would announce about a way of using stem cells without destroying embryos, had never made Church place its hopes on any research involving human embryos regardless the positive results they may have. The Church discourages any funding to promote the research of human embryos. The promises of having a way to cure diseases like cancer, Parkinson’s diseases, diabetes, and spinal cord injuries are pronounced by the scientists but the extracting cells from the embryo may also requires the death of the embryo which is equal to abortion.

In any human technological advancement, discernment for a morally sound evaluation on its method and end is required. There may be good results to any scientific research but if it may cause another’s innocent life to achieve it, the “end does not justify the means.” John Paul II reminds us that man is always confronted with the battle between good and evil, the lights and shadows of life. He inspires us to discern more God’s will for all humanity. Life has always to be promoted at all costs. In scientific advancements which challenge moral standards, John Paul II reminds us that “this situation, with its lights and shadows, ought to make us all fully aware that we are facing an enormous and dramatic clash between good and evil, death and life, the “culture of death” and the “culture of life”. We find ourselves not only “faced with” but necessarily “in the midst of” this conflict: we are all involved and we all share in it, with the inescapable responsibility of choosing to be unconditionally pro-life.” (Evangelium Vitae 28)

The call to develop human consciences is essential in the advancement and use of science. It is inevitable that scientists should follow their right consciences. The world today needs social transformation and a world that promotes the “culture of life” which spring from the expression of the people’s sense of God and the development of individual moral conscience. It is the Church’s moral obligation to guide, teach, educate and form the conscience of the people. The measurement of an advanced and progressive society is not through technological and scientific discoveries and inventions alone but through the development of the totality of the human person who will be able to live the “fullness of life.” John Paul II says that the first and fundamental step towards this cultural transformation consists in forming consciences with regard to the incomparable and inviolable worth of every human life. It is of the greatest importance to re-establish the essential connection between life and freedom. (Evangelium Vitae 96)