Orrin Hatch "embryos created in a petri dish are not people"
Related News: Stem Cells and GovernmentU.S. Sen. Orrin Hatch, who holds staunch anti-abortion views, offered some explanation Friday about his position as an outspoken supporter of expanding federal funding for stem cell research.
"I believe that life begins in a mother's womb, not in a science lab," Hatch said.
Some of Hatch's congressional colleagues oppose funding this research on new stem cell lines, based upon differing views on when life begins.
Sen. Hatch reached his position after consulting with scientists, doctors, ethicists and others. He also prayed on the matter and searched the scriptures for guidance.
David Magnus, director of the Stanford Center for Bioethics, said the debate is more complicated than it seems. Some advocates of abortion rights oppose the use of embryos specifically created to obtain stem cells, preferring to only use extra eggs from in-vitro fertilization.
Magnus said some anti-abortion advocates can support taking stem cells from leftover in-vitro fertilization embryos because those cells will never grow into living humans.
But many opponents to new embryonic stem cell research argue that life begins at conception - whether it's in a lab or in the womb.
Posted on February 26, 2005 08:05 PM