Don’t deny humanity of embryos

Letter to the editor

To the editor:
   Having spent a large portion of my adult life working in the Hightstown-East Windsor area, I enjoyed your paper every week. Since I have relocated to South Carolina I enjoy keeping in touch with home through your paper online. This past Friday, Aug. 17, I came across an article by staff writer Michael Arges on stem cell research ("Opinions vary in stem cell debate," Aug. 17, 2001, Page 1A).
   Needless to say the issue is a hot button in most circles. Mr. Arges’ juxtaposition of the religious and scientific opinions is typical of the media treatment of these types of issues. The comments of the tragically ill boy and women suffering from Parkinson disease heightened the pro-active appeal of stem cell research.
   Stem cell can possibly replace dead or dying cells, but those cells are not limited to embryonic cells. Adult cells and umbilical cord cells are also proven to be effective. These cells are alleged to be years behind in testing, but federal monies can be used to accelerate this research with no controversy.
   The professor’s citing of the need for diversity of cells assures the need for growing embryos for harvesting to fill the need. Mr. Coates equates donating embryos as similar to organ donation.
   Embryos are not organs. Hundreds of thousands of embryos used for research to improve the lives of thousands seems a "tragically ridiculous" trade off.
   These embryos that, as a matter of choice, "will never see the light of day" is indeed a tragedy.
   Ethical and moral actions are more than an exercise of personal freedom or scientific enlightenment.
   Let us not compound the tragedy of debilitating diseases by denying the humanity contained in embryos deemed as disposable.
James A. Keller
Surfside Beach, S.C.