The comments made by the Pope to President Bush don't come as a surprise. There are some people who will never support stem cell research when the stem cells are derived from embryos. But to compare stem cell research, which is done with the aim of developing treatments for diseases and injury, for many of which there are no current remedies, to euthanasia or infanticide is morally misleading.
As such, the advice should not guide President Bush too far. It is good that he deliberates on the matter of stem cell research, looking into the science and ethics surrounding the practice: he wants to know if embryonic stem cells do in fact hold more promise than other types of stem cells. But more importantly, it seems he does not want to lose any votes. Indeed, his comments to a press conference shortly after his meeting with the Pope, indicate that this is his primary concern.
What he should be doing is listening to America. Polls of the US public suggested again last week that the majority of citizens favour the research. More than 200 members of Congress have signed a letter urging President Bush to support federal funding of embryonic stem cell research. And there is evidence that scientists working in America are becoming frustrated with the uncertainty.
In addition, this week's BioNews reports on three new developments in stem cell science. And they keep coming. So the President does need, as he himself said, to make a balancing judgement. But he should not make his judgement call on the basis of vote-winning, he should do it in the interests of the many people who could benefit from this research.
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