-- [ From: Bob Martone * EMC.Ver #2.5.3 ] --
The following document was sent to several Congressmen and Senators in
1997 and was delivered by me in a talk at the Pan Forum in 1997. I'
pretty sure it was posted to the list back then. I know we have many new
members so i am posting it again.u
Use of Federal Funds to Support Fetal Tissue Research
Prepared by Robert A. Martone
Careperson for wife Nancy who has suffered with Parkinsons Disease for
22 Years
June 24, 1997
The following text was prepared for congressman Tom Delay's office in
response to a question about fetal tissue research.
1. My wife and I are pro-life supporters and we have spent a great deal
of time working through this issue. We believe there are two parts to
the question of fetal tissue research.
The first deals with the abortion question. On moral grounds we do not
believe abortion is appropriate with a few exceptions such as rape,
incest and the mothers life being placed at significant risk. However,
our views on this are not relevant to the question on the use of fetal
tissue.
Fetal tissue use can and should be compared to organ transplantation.
Once the first life is terminated whether it be accidental or on purpose
, such as a shooting victim, there is an opportunity for a second
decision regarding the use of the remains of the deceased. As we now
know heart and lung transplants can and do save lives and current
research clearly shows that fetal cells can be used to save a
Parkinsonian and possibly other's from a long life of misery and a very
unpleasant death.
2. To the suggestion that fetal tissue use would create a demand for
abortion or would encourage abortion, we simply ask does heart
transplantation encourage murder? There is no evidence to support such a
conclusion and we certainly don't believe this to be the case.
3. To the question are adequate safe guards in place to prevent a market
from forming in the use of fetal tissue. Laws were passed a few years
ago which prevent profiteering in fetal tissue "sales" and also to
prevent a woman from being able to designate a recipient for the remains
..
4. To the question of why not use ectopic or spontaneous abortion tissue
. President Bush spent one to two million dollars in an attempt to
determine whether this tissue could be reused and the results did not
support reuse.
5. To the question about current research projects that are using fetal
tissue. Approximately 4% of the Parkinson research dollars are going
into fetal tissue research. This work has shown great promise and
recipients are showing significant improvement in their Parkinson's
symptoms. A recent audit by the GAO of these projects indicated full
compliance with the letter and the spirit of the law.
6. Would the PD community support a ban on the use of fetal tissue in
the Udall bill? For the reasons already mentioned above the answer is no
. In addition my perspective as a laymen is that research takes place at
many levels. If you think of these levels of work as levels in a pyramid
, with the highest level being the closest to success and the lowest
level being the necessary foundation for the upper levels, my
understanding is that the fetal tissue is probably pretty low in the
foundation but an essential component along the way. Will fetal tissue
wind up at the top of the pyramid? It does not appear likely for a
number of reasons such as cost, difficulty in obtaining tissue, testing
for HIV and other potential problems, and the complexity associated with
getting up to seven fetus's for each human transplant.
Then why don't you just drop the idea? Because the pyramid or a
significant piece of it would likely collapse costing a great deal of
money and a tremendous amount of human suffering. People like my wife
who has suffered for 22 years are just about out of time. Fetal tissue
research is showing such great promise especially from the considerable
knowledge that science is gaining regarding the transplant site in the
brain, tissue survivability issues and much more.
7. In summary my wife and I as pro-lifers who do not see a moral issue
with fetal tissue use and now know that there is much hope from the
research that is underway, and that the guidelines for this research are
being followed, can not and do not support the removal of federal funds
from fetal tissue research.
8. Finally, in a purely hypothetical case, lets assume that abortion is
illegal and it is determined that like murder it is a capital offense
punishable by death. Do we really think that this will stop abortions
anymore than capital punishment has stopped murder? Probably not, but
it should serve as quite a deterrent.
Now, with the deterrent in place an abortion takes place and the fetal
remains are ready for disposal. At this point is there not an
opportunity to make a humane decision and make the remains available for
use in life saving efforts for others, just like the organ transplant
programs that are now common place.
We think in this purely hypothetical case even with significant abortion
deterrents in place, there will be and should be an opportunity for a
second decision and that is to save a life!
--
Bob Martone(Nancy 53/23)
