Embryo-Safe Stem Cell Research

Researchers at Advanced Cell Technology, Inc. have found a new technique to gather stem cells. They took a single cell from an eight-cell human embryo, claiming that the process does no harm. The removal of a single cell isn't new, and has been employed in fertility clinics to test for diseases. Doctors and fertility specialists do this before the embryo is implanted in the womb.

Human embryonic stem cell research is controversial because, with the present state of technology, starting a stem cell line requires the destruction of a human embryo and/or therapeutic cloning. Such reproductive cloning can fundamentally devalue human life.

Those in the pro-life movement argue that a human embryo is a human life and is therefore entitled to protection.

Contrarily, supporters of embryonic stem cell research argue that such research should be pursued because the resultant treatments could have significant medical potential. It

is also noted that excess embryos created for in vitrofertilization could be donated with consent and used for the research.

Although critics quickly pointed out that all sixteen embryos used in the experiment were destroyed. ACT, Inc. later admitted that scientists removed more than a single cell, and hence their destruction. In addition, scientists developed stem cell lines from only two of the ninety-one cells removed. An official of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops disapproved of the experiment, saying "it left no embryos alive, and solves no ethical problem."

14. Circle any additional unknown words/phrases in the article. In pairs/groups, use your dictionaries to understand the meanings. Write definitions to 3 of them. 15. Answer the questions to check comprehension.

1) What did Advanced Cell Technique, Inc. do?

2) What do fertility clinics usually do?

3) What is the position of the supporters?

4) And what are the critics doing because of the research?

5) What ethical reasons do critics disapprove stem cell research?