AFA of PA ACTION ALERT
August 22, 2014
Issue
“Ice Bucket Challenge” is For a Good Cause, But . . .
Details
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease is a progressive and fatal neurological disease that causes the neurons that control voluntary muscles (motor neurons) to degenerate. In the United States, as many as 20,000 to 30,000 people have the disease, and about 5,000 people are diagnosed with it each year.
Since late July, the ALS Association has raised over $15 million for research through the “Ice Bucket Challenge.” We’ve seen former presidents, current governors, heads of corporations, movie stars and average citizens have ice-cold water dumped on their heads to raise money.
However, a close look at the ALS Association raises some ethical concerns about the type research they fund. A look at their website a couple days ago indicated the ALS Association believed adult stem cell research was important and should “be done alongside embryonic stem cell research as both will provide valuable insights.” Not today! They have removed the adult stem cell paragraph out of the “Alternative Sources of Stem Cells” section of this web page. Also, in the paragraph preceding this section, they discount the potential of adult stem cells.
“It is noble to combat a deadly disease,” Live Action president Lila Rose said in a statement provided to LifeSiteNews, but added that “it’s such a shame that the ALS Association…chooses to support research that thrives from experimenting on and killing tiny, innocent human beings.”
Embryonic stem cell research, which requires the destruction of pre-born people, is inherently unethical and a violation of fundamental human rights, and even materialists must admit that promises of its benefits have failed to deliver,” continued Rose. “There is no good reason to condone this practice; in fact, all it does is taint the ALS Association, whom I’d otherwise be happy to support.”
In defense of this practice, ALS spokesman Carrie Munk said the embryonic stem cell research is being funded “by an outside donor and the stem cell line was established many years ago.” She goes on to say the Association may fund embryonic stem cell research in the future.
Action Steps
1.) If this concerns you, contact the ALS Association at advocacy@alsa-national.org or phone at 202-407-8580.
2.) Support organizations that use ethical means of research using adult stem cells. One such is the John Paul II Medical Research Institute in Iowa City, Iowa.
3.) Warn others of the ethical concerns of the ALS Association funding embryonic stem cell research.
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