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> > "The panel members considered and rejected the view that a human > embryo has rights that completely prohibit its use in research. To those > who argue that an embryo is a human being from the moment of conception, > the panel responded that no single trait or property is present at > conception that suffices to confer personhood, and thus rights, on the > embryo. > This view is persuasive. All human life begins at conception, but > many embryos do not implant, and even among those that do, many > spontaneously abort. Whatever shifts occur in the moral equation at > conception, it is not self-evident that that biologic event is of such > moral importance that it should cause all human embryos to be placed > outside the realm of research." > Just a note of caution. In terms of human development, an embryo is less than 2 months gestational age. I'm not sure that fetal cells can be harvested from such small beings. I would appreciate of synopsis of when and how fetal cells for transplant are obtained. My understanding is that surgical abortion is a requirement for the harvesting of viable neurological tissue. As an aside, no one has mentioned the danger of contracting diseases from such tissue transplants. I have also understood that an effort is being made to grow neurological tissue under laboratory conditions in effort to avoid the transmission of infectious and genetic diseases. Once again, I would appreciate an explanation of research being done in this area. ------ Regards Mary Ann