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The source of this article is Mercury News: http://tinyurl.com/55bfw Posted on Tue, Aug. 31, 2004 Discarding of embryos fuels debate on stem-cell research By Lisa M. Krieger Mercury News Most fertility clinics in the United States discard surplus human embryos -- a practice decried by those on both sides of the stem-cell debate. A first-ever study of the issue found that 84 percent of clinics throw away extra embryos that are created during in vitro fertilization procedures. Other embryos -- as many as 400,000 -- languish frozen in storage. Many of them are years old, fragile and unlikely to be used. Advocates of stem-cell research say these practices waste an important resource, which could be used to derive stem cells for research. Opponents say embryos are human life that should be protected and preserved. The study is likely to fuel the debate over Proposition 71, the California measure on the November ballot that would provide state funding for stem-cell research. Bioethicist Arthur Caplan of the University of Pennsylvania and Andrea D. Gurmankin of Rutgers University published the research in the July issue of the journal Politics and the Life Sciences. The growing number of embryos is a byproduct of in vitro fertilization, which creates ``test tube babies'' to be implanted into infertile couples. IVF requires that several embryos be made simultaneously in the lab, in case pregnancy is not achieved with the first try or parents desire a sibling. Days-old embryos are also the only source of stem cells, which can be grown into any type of cell in the body. Scientists hope stem cells will someday be useful in treating devastating injuries and illnesses. Extracting the stem cells destroys the embryos. But because research using embryos cannot use federal money, progress has slowed. President Bush has restricted federal funding to research on stem cells already extracted from embryos. Researchers found that 76 percent of clinics offer the option of donating the embryos to other couples; 60 percent, disposal before freezing; 54 percent, disposal after freezing; 60 percent, donation to research; and 19 percent, donation for the training of doctors. Advocates for stem-cell research urge donation of embryos for research, which must be privately funded. ``If you can donate life-saving stem cells from a days-old fetus, that is a far greater goal to society than throwing it away in the trash,'' said Fiona Hutton, a Proposition 71 spokeswoman. But others oppose both disposal and research, saying both options deprive the embryo of its right to life. ``Getting parental consent is not adequate,'' said Jan Carroll of the California Pro-Life Council. ``This is not valid consent. Embryos should have their own rights to give consent, and they don't.'' Researchers say they are improving IVF procedures, so fewer extra embryos will be generated in the future. ``Every embryo should be viewed as something more than just a piece of tissue,'' said Dr. Carl Herbert of Pacific Fertility Center in San Francisco. ``Even if couples decide to discard it, it should be considered that it was special.'' -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Contact Lisa Krieger at [log in to unmask] or (408) 920-5565. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn