JALSA, the Jewish Alliance for Law and Social Action, has criticized the decision of Federal District Judge Royce Lamberth, enjoining the use of federal funds for research on embryonic stem cell lines.  The judge has for the first time interpreted a 1995 federal statute as barring government funding of all research using embryonic stem cells, and has put all such research, nationwide, into jeopardy.  “In this situation,” said Sheila Decter, JALSA’s Executive Director, “the decision will have no effect on the process of in vitro fertilization, which will continue to create many more embryos than are needed.  Rather than cells from some of these surplus embryos being devoted to research, they will now all simply be destroyed.  The potential cost in human suffering from the interruption of ongoing medical research, however, is incalculable.”

JALSA has long been involved in the efforts to encourage embryonic cell research.  The Boston-based social justice group was instrumental in putting together a Massachusetts coalition of academic, health, and civic groups – Mass-CURE — that successfully encouraged passage of legislation in Massachusetts demonstrating that such research was welcomed here to help provide cures for diseases such as Diabetes, Parkinson’s Disease, spinal cord breaks, Alzheimer’s Disease, and many others.

Decter noted that although the lawsuit was nominally brought by researchers claiming unfair competition from the federally funded research, it was initiated and financed by right-wing religious and political groups on ideological grounds.  These groups have long sought to impose their narrow religious views in the face of an abundance of scientific evidence on the unique usefulness of embryonic cells.

“Fundamentalist religious groups that did not oppose IVF –In Vitro Fertilization work in its early years woke belatedly to recognizing that the process meant the creation of multiple embryos, and, then, the destruction of excess embryos.  Not being able to turn the clock back, they fastened on opposing embryonic research making use of those cells which might be used to find cures for disease.  Thus, some Catholic and fundamentalist Christians have encouraged the use of adult stem cells only. While Judaism shares high regard for the protection of all those cells, and shares concern at the development of more embryos than are needed during IVF procedures, most Jewish ethicists find such use of those embryos toward the saving of lives preferable to seeing them discarded.  Most researchers believe that embryonic stem cells promise cures not possible from adult stem cells.

“Judge Lamberth’s decision erroneously extends the statute to affect research on embryos that were neither created with federal funds, nor created for research purposes.  JALSA believes that the decision is an unfortunate setback both to this important research, and to the process of keeping American science free of limitations imposed by narrow sectarianism.

“JALSA applauds the Administration’s determination to appeal this decision.”