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Government:
Fetal tissue research was banned during the Bush administration due to the abortion controversy but Clinton lifted the ban during his first year as president.
Opposition:
The discontinuation of a fetuses life is morally wrong and is breaking the 6 Commandment "Thou shall not kill."
A Jesuit priest , Dr. Kevin Fitzgerald, argues that you cant compare cells to human life, because life starts at conception not birth. The Roman Catholic Church's view point is the same, and opposes abortion, and thus opposes fetal tissue testing.
They fear that the number of planned abortions will increase because mothers will feel better about having an abortion if the fetus's cells are being used to save someone else's life.
There is also the fear of a black market forming for fetal tissue; people would pay women to become pregnant and then abort the fetus. This fear is not just in the US, but around the world. The European Parliament denied research for this testing.
Defendants:
The progress of treatment and cures to neural disorders and birth defects could be advanced by fetal tissue testing.
Scientist have been using stem cells from aborted fetus, and were grown in labs for regeneration. The cells were being tested to grow muscles, bones and blood cells. They say it is better to use human cells other than mice, or animal cells because of exact advances or problems that can occur. If they were able to isolate and cultivate certain cells, they would be able to use them to help cure or help specific kinds of health defects. Such as diabetes, muscular dystrophies, arteriosclerosis, and Parkinson's disease, also neurodegenerative and wound healing.
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