LIFE DIGEST: Clinics can destroy embryos showing minor ills
- Jan 25, 2010 - 1 -
British fertility clinics have the government’s permission to eliminate human embryos with essentially minor hereditary conditions.
The Telegraph, a British newspaper, reported Jan. 24 a government-approved list that is the basis for destroying embryos before implantation into the mother includes such genetic ailments as Thalassaemia and Marfan syndrome.
Also in this edition: Next 40 Days for Life campaign to begin Feb. 17 and Only Youngstown abortion clinic closes.
Pete Sampras, the seven-time Wimbledon Open champion, has Thalassaemia, a blood disorder that can result in mild anemia, according to the Telegraph. It is theorized former U.S. President Abraham Lincoln and former French President Charles De Gaulle may have had Marfan syndrome, which can cause abnormal growth, the newspaper reported.
The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has 116 disorders it allows fertility clinics to screen for, but it may add another 24 conditions the week of Jan. 24-30, the Telegraph reported.
Clinics are able to screen for inherited disorders by means of preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD). PGD is a screening method used after an embryo is conceived by in vitro fertilization. A cell from an embryo only a few days old is tested. If it shows an embryo is carrying a condition that may lead to disease, that embryo typically is destroyed, leaving only disorder-free embryos for implantation.
David King, director of Human Genetics Alert, criticized the inclusion of rather minor conditions on the HFEA’s list. “It contributes to a social climate in which even minor deviations from ‘normality’ are seen as unacceptable,” King said, according to the Telegraph
Most pro-life advocates decry PGD’s use and its attack on the sanctity of human life.
Next 40 Days for Life campaign to being Feb. 17
The largest 40 Days for Life spring campaign to date will begin Feb. 17 in 156 cities across the United States.
The growing effort consists of 40 days of prayer and fasting to end abortion, as well as peaceful prayer vigils outside abortion clinics and community outreach during the same time period.
The latest campaign, which will end March 28, is the sixth consecutive effort to be held, two each year since fall 2007. Here are some of the statistics the outreach has achieved in that time:
- 2,168 unborn babies and their mothers have been protected from abortion;
- 27 abortion clinic employees have quit their jobs.
- Five abortion clinics have closed after 40 Days for Life campaigns;
- More than 300,000 people in about 280 cities have participated.
The campaign from September to November 2009 was the largest fall effort to date, with vigils in 212 cities.
Only Youngstown abortion clinic closes
The only abortion clinic in Youngstown, Ohio, has closed after more than 33 years of operation.
The Mahoning Women’s Center, which performed its first abortion in June 1976, shut down Jan. 12, according to The Youngstown Vindicator, the city’s newspaper. The clinic is closing because of the retirement of the owner, Mary Ann Baker, and declining business, said Tim Baker, the owner’s son, the newspaper reported.
The nearest abortion clinics apparently are in Akron, Ohio, about 45 miles away, and Cleveland and Pittsburgh, which are both more than 60 miles from Youngstown.
Youngstown had a population of nearly 73,000 in 2008, according to an estimate by the U.S. Census Bureau. The population of the Youngstown metropolitan area was about 565,000, according to the same Census Bureau estimate.
“This is such great news for the people of Ohio and all Americans,” Operation Rescue President Troy Newman said in a written statement. “It means that lives will be saved. We know from experience that when abortion clinics close, many women who would otherwise have opted for abortion will instead happily keep their babies or release them for adoption.”
The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission works to protect the sanctity of human life. If you would like to learn more about this issue, additional resources are available here. Our free, downloadable Impact resource is also available online. If your church is interested in purchasing materials on the sanctity of human life, please visit our online bookstore and erlc.com.
Further Learning
Learn more about: Life, Abortion, Citizenship, Science, Bioethics
comments (post your own) feed
1 On Jan 26th, 2010, at 7:37pm, Bob Finch wrote:
A question was asked of me on christianpost.com as to if the SBC is encouraging their members to consider the adoption of unwanted frozen embryos that are no longer wanted. Since I had no idea I thought this would be the best place to hopefully find the answer, thanks.