Food Safety – The Horse is Out of the Barn . . .
Gene Modification in Produce
Food has been genetically modified since the 1990’s, with tomatoes being the first brought to market. Changes were made within the DNA of the tomatoes causing them to grow faster, larger, and be resistant to pests. Using CRISPR gene editing techniques, we now genetically modify plants and animals using DNA from other species. For example, bacteria DNA is used to modify potatoes, cattle DNA is used to modify salmon, even …
Jul
Alabama IVF Court Case
In 2019, Alabama voters approved a state constitutional amendment which affirmed the sanctity and rights of unborn children, leading to a near total ban on abortions (unborn, in utero).
In the 2022 Dobbs v Jackson decision, the US Supreme Court ruled that states have a legitimate interest in the preservation and protection of prenatal life at all stages of development. In February 2024, Alabama Supreme Court stated that the “wrongful death of a minor act” …
Medical At Home Abortion
The overturning of Roe v. Wade now allows states to set their own policies on abortion, and this dramatically changed the landscape of the abortion industry.
For example, in 2023, 63% of abortions in the US were now medication abortions, not surgical. Mifepristone and Misoprostol (approved in 2000) are the two abortion medications promoted by the FDA to be used up to the first 10 weeks of pregnancy. However, on average these drugs are used …
NCER 2023 Holiday Greetings
Esteemed NCER Supporter,
When people think of worthy pro-life causes, on the top of the list is 1) faithful sidewalk counseling and prayer, 2) supporting crisis pregnancy centers, 3) caring for the practical needs of pregnant women in crisis, and 4) healing for those who have been traumatized by abortion. But being pro-life is not just about abortion.
People infrequently think of the enormous impact that anti-life practices within medical research and healthcare have. …
Dec
The World’s First Synthetic Human Embryo: No need for sperm, eggs, and fertilization
Worldwide, the prevalence of miscarriage is extremely high, yearly reported at 23 million. Of the average 6 million pregnancies in the United States each year, 16% end in miscarriage. The fetus is most vulnerable within the first trimester, with the majority of losses occurring between week 6-8, possibly resulting from genetic or environmental factors. However, little to no research has yet been conducted on miscarriages during this time period due to lack of access. Human …
Oct
“Nebraska Physicians are Playing ‘Fast and Loose’ with ‘Dead Donor’ Organ Harvesting Laws”
Approximately 42,000 organ transplantations occurred in the United States last year, the highest amount ever. However, over 100,000 people are on the organ transplant waiting list at any given time. In a bid to close the large gap between donors and those waiting, UNMC in Omaha, NE published a new research protocol specifically for heart donor/transplantation. Normothermic Regional Perfusion for Resuscitation of Hearts from Donation After Circulatory Death (NRP-cDCD) refers to a technique whereby a …
Jun
“Doctors have a macabre new way to harvest organs”
Dr. Klessig, anesthesiologist and pain management specialist (respectforhumanlife.com), gives us a refreshingly frank perspective of the of ethics involved in the NRP-cDCD organ transplantation procedure.
Jun
American College of Physicians Statement of Concern
The American College of Physicians, the largest specialty society in the world (Internal Medicine) offers expertise and insight into the definition of both circulatory and brain death. In doing so, they uncover breaches in both logic and ethics as presented in the new NRP-cDCD protocol. Take the time and read the following article to get a clear perspective.
Jun
Update on Illegal and Unethical Research in Gene Editing
With a shock that rippled around the medical research world in 2018, a Chinese researcher unethically and illegally edited the DNA of 3 human embryos, implanted them in their mother’s wombs, who then gave birth. This is referred to as Heritable Human Genome Editing (HHGE) and represents a clear breach of the Belmont Principles of Autonomy (Informed Consent), Beneficence (Benefit outweighs Risk), and Justice (Protection of the Vulnerable). Presentations at the summit included several from …
Apr
Ethics Emphasized but not without Controversy
I’m happy to report Bioethics was at the forefront each day at the International Human Genome Editing Symposium. Controversy and disagreement between panelists as well as the audience was frequent, showing the lack of consensus on the ethics of continuing Heritable Human Gene Editing. The value of this research was questioned outright, especially in light of other successful editing techniques that don’t risk the health of subjects or their progeny. All previous consensus statements from …
Apr