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Date sent: Wed, 04 Oct 2000 21:13:21 -0500 To: "Parkinson's Information Exchange Network" <[log in to unmask]> From: "Charles T. Meyer, M.D." <[log in to unmask]> Subject: Re: stem cells Copies to: "Bob Fink, MD" <[log in to unmask]> > Bob, > > No flame war intended. I have always had the highest respect for you > and your opinions even though we may strongly disagree at times.. > Creating a human life just for sacrifice is not the case with stem > cell research and I am glad to see that you separate the issues. Indeed, I do separate the issues. My objection was not to the research, but to the "creation" of embryos just for the sake of obtaining stem cells. It is not a large stretch of the imagination to that place, and I want to prevent that from happening. We > can disagree on abortion and still agree that stem cell research > should go forward. I would hope that as a pro-life physician, you > will write to Congress and point out these subtile but important > differences that may be lost on the layman not familiar with these > issues. I have already done so. The "casual discarding of human beings" (as you would call the > embryo) is going to occur anyway in IVF and some good can come from > the process. I disagree here. No "good" can come from an immoral act (killing of an innocent human being). That's like saying, like the Chinese, for example do, that an executed criminal forfeits his organs for transplantation (the Chinese actually have been shown to do this!). The people that *use* those organs, while ostensibly for the good of other human beings, are actually perpetuating the original immorality. > > I don't think that the beginning of life can be rigidly determined as > you do and personally do not have significant objection to the process > of obtaining the cells. But, I think that people who believe as you > do can play a valuable role in the Stem Cell debate, by supporting > extremely promising stem cell research while being strongly pro-life. > The 2 positions are compatible. I agree. Best, Bob ********************************************** Robert A. Fink, M. D., F.A.C.S., P. C. 2500 Milvia Street Suite 222 Berkeley, California 94704-2636 Telephone: 510-849-2555 FAX: 510-849-2557 WWW: http://www.dovecom.com/rafink/ mailto:[log in to unmask] "Ex Tristitia Virtus" *********************************************