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Show Fetal Tissue Transplantation Can Benefit Disease-RiddSociety T7H en by Kelly L. Arnold Forum, contributing writer crippling symptoms ofthis disease. Similar uses in Alzheimers disease have been g islet cells from explored. a fetal pancreas can be transplanted into a diabetic patient to decrease the symptoms of this disease. Perhaps most exciting is the AIDS research being conducted with fetal tissue. Mice that have been born without immune systems are given human immune systems through fetal tissue transplants. These mice are then infected with the AIDS virus and the exact human immune response is studied. This research is leading to a greater understanding of AIDS but is presently funded privately due to the federal funding moratorium. Ethical concerns regarding fetal tissue transplantation involve abortion issues. Despite scientists and ethicists attempts to separate the two issues, they are still connected in the minds of the opponents. The opponents of fetal tissue transplantation feel that this practice involves complicity in what they feel is an immoral act and will encourage and legitimate abortion. But, does the use of aborted tissue make the physician, researchers and tissue recipient accomplices to abortion? The answer is no, the recipient and researcher have no role in the abortion. A useful analogy is the transplantation of organs and tissue from homicide victims. No one would argue that the recipient of one of these organs was an accomplice to the murder of the donor. Would the use of fetal tissue legitimate and encourage abortions? Now, at the advent of this research, few people understand the possibilities of fetal tissue transplantation. So, it seems unlikely that women would get pregnant and abort to donate tissue. Lets use the organ transplantation scenario again. The fact thatorgantransplantationisbeneficial does not encourage people to drive at excessive speeds and increase mortality to make organs available. Also, the law enforcement system does not ease up in its prevention of murder so that more organs will be available. The connection is too speculative to ban fetal tissue transplants on these Insulin-secretin- At the forefront of modem medicine lie the scientific possibilities of fetal tissue transplantation. Potential uses of fetal tissue in the study and cure of diseases are many. However, this area of research is steeped in controversy, and has been slowed, sinceithas become alignedwith the abortion issue. In fact, in November of 1989, a moratorium on federal fetal of tissue funding transplant research was placed by President Bush and the Department of Health and Human Services, probably due to pressure from antiabortionists. This moratorium was placed with gross disregard for the ethical studies done by the National Institute of Health (NIH). The NIH concluded that fetal tissue transplantation research may continue ethically. The use of fetal tissue in research and transplantation is ethical and should be supported by the federal government, because the outcomes of such research have the potential to benefit society in a tremendous way. First, an examination of the uses of fetal tissue in the research of serious disease will help to understand its importance to modem medicine and society. Fetal tissue, as transplant material, carries the unique quality that it is not recognized by the recipient as foreign and then rejected. Hence, it is not necessary to immunosuppress the recipient of fetal tissue, thus eliminating the undesirable effects of immunological suppression. Already, fetal tissue research has led to a vaccine for polio and has given us fundamental insights into the biology of cancer cells. Dopamine, the chemical lackingin the brains ofParkinsons disease patients, can be secreted by fetal tissue brain cells and ameliorate some of the twenty-mont- h Parents of Deceased Girl to Speak on by Sharron Smith obtained a second opinion from a physician. Forum contributing writer In 1988, Becky Bell died as a result of a restrictive abortion law in her state. Becky was a normal, happy young woman, forced to resort to a back-alleabortion, dying simply because she had the misfortune to live in the wrong state. .Since Beckys death her parents, Bill and Karen Bell, have toured the nation speaking out against the type of legislation responsible for the death of their daughter. Over the past week Westminster students, by the hundreds, have supported the Utah Coalitions opposition to House Bill 68Senate Bill 23 which, if passed, would become the most restrictive legislation in the country, and subject Utah women to the same circumstances responsible for the death of Becky Bell by y forcing them to seek the assistance of abortionists. HB 68 allows for an abortion only when necessary to save the pregnant womans life, when the pregnancy is the result of a rape that was reported by the victim within five days after it occured, when the pregnancy is the result of incest and the incident is reported by the victim to a law enforcement agency prior to the abortion, and in the event the fetus may not survive birth due to irremedial physical or mental disabilities ... so long as the woman has 17-year-- y Pro-Choi- ce back-alle- . Issue 13 January 22, Law Anti-Aborti- on 1991 College students have had an impressive effect in the few states attempting to restrict an individuals reproductive choice, most recently in Oregon where two initiatives were defeated as the result of student activities in that state. Utah students, encouraged by the success of their peers, are committed to defeating any legislation limiting personal freedom and autonomy. On Jan. 25, at 7:30 p.m. in the Union Labor Building, 2261 S. Redwood Road, Bill and Karen Bell will share their story and the devastating effect a restrictive abortion law has had on their lives. As a result of the overwhelming positive response to a petition drive in the Shaw Lounge the week of Jan. 14, Westminster students will table an additional petition drive Tuesday, Jan. 22 and Wednesday, Jan. 23, from 5 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. in the lobby of Gore, to provide students attending night classes the same opportunity to participate. On Jan. 26, a Rally will be held on the steps of the Capitol at noon. Pro-Choi- ce Westminster students will join students, from other campuses throughout the state to demonstrate opposition to the proposed legislation. Students who wish to volunteer may contact the ACLU Coalition at Pro-Choi- 533-82- 06. ce grounds. Finally, and most ethically important, are the claims made by opponents to abortion and fetal tissue transplantation that state that the comparison of a fetus to an organ is a faulty premise. However, this consideration is moot if fetal tissue procurement is followed through according to established guidelines. These guidelines prevent the use of the fetus and pregnant woman as means (as Kant would say). Safeguards for the fetus and pregnant woman in the procurement process of fetal tissue were set up by the American Medical Association (AMA) and the NIH in 1988 to ensure ethical and judicious practices. These protocols ensure that a woman never be given a financial incentive to have an abortion or delay the abortion to allow for fetal development. Also, the safest method of aborting the fetus should be taken and protocols prohibit the designation of the fetal tissue by the woman. Full, informed consent must be given by the pregnant woman only after the decision to have the abortion has been made, and those performing the abortion cannot be involved with the use of the fetal tissue. Other Thank you IMi Hoiday magazine readers for naming The Training Table Restaurants, The Now grab your friends and come enjoy what many have said are the test hamburgers . ' in Utah. o related ethical safeguards are the Institutional Review Boards and ethical committees of research facilities. The extreme opposite ofjudicious fetal tissue research would be to prohibit this research completely. Strict opponents to abortion would have this area of research eliminated to decrease the amount of abortions done in society. They would conclude that the immoral act of abortion is directly tied to the fetal tissue transplantation issue. This stance completely ignores the beneficial nature of this research, sacrificing fetal tissue transplantation research to the e issue. I feel that his research must continue on utilitarian grounds. The tissue obtained from the one million legally performed abortions each year is usually discarded or incinerated. This tissue could be of great value to researchers and society. The AMA and NIH guidelines have ensured that the tissue is obtained ethically. Now the federal government needs to lift its ban on thefundingofthisresearch. This cutting-edg- e experimentation should be supported, especially at a time when AIDS, A1 zheimers, diabetes and many other diseases are devastating our society. 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A I'M AVAILABLE MIDVALE RQUADAY 6957 South State 566-191- 1 4828 Highland Dr. Place) (Creekside 355-752- 3 272-739- 8 fNovember, 1989 Utah Holiday Readers' Restaurant Poll Mfteirailtoifiiz All Candidates for June 1991 Graduation, Cap and Gown measuring will take place in the Syme Lounge of the Shaw Center on the following dates: Jan. 29 (Tues.) -- 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Jan. 30 (Wed.) noon to 6 p.m. - sure to stop by and take care of this important (and brief) detail! You may so purchase announcements at the same time. Participation in Commencement is required; if you are not able to attend, you must inform the Registrars Office in writing, and include the address to which your diploma should be mailed. Be Forum Page 7 |