Embryos end up as a cosmetic exercise

WHILE the funding of experiments on unborn human beings is in the limelight, Ireland would do well to look to other countries to see what happened once these abhorrent activities were permitted.

For instance, earlier this year, despite much protest from human rights and medical ethics groups, Australia permitted the experimentation and funding of research on human embryos.

The advocates for such experimentation claimed, without any supporting evidence, that it would lead to ‘miracle cures.’ The Tánaiste, Mary Harney, has defended Irish funding using this argument, again without any evidence.

Since such experimentation was permitted in Australia, almost the only groups who have requested licences have been pharmaceutical and cosmetic companies who wish to use the embryonic stem cells for testing their products. Possibly because of the increased restrictions on testing on animals, experimentation on human embryos is now more economical.

It may be a coincidence that some of the main proponents of the current EU proposal are also pharmaceutical and cosmetic companies.

There has been no real debate on these shameful activities and Ireland must back other EU countries in blocking these proposals when they are put to a vote on November 27.

Loretta O’Connor,

54, Halldene Grove,

Bishopstown,

Cork.