In a letter to the editor (2/14/08), Tam Vogel quoted a study regarding the number of frozen human embryos supposedly available for research. People should be aware that the study quoted from is considered weak by some researchers.
Although that study has been described by some as a "national survey," it included only 1,000 patients in 9 clinics. In addition, Gary Langer, Director of Polling, ABC News has pointed out that "the selection procedure used to choose the clinics, and to choose the patients within each clinic, remains undisclosed (contrary to the disclosure principles of the National Council on Public Polls)." The questions used in the study somewhat led the participants with one of the options being "medical research," "treatments" for various diseases or infertility - all somewhat speculative but designed to lead the person to consider helping human kind.
A better study was funded by The Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology a few years ago and deals with facts not opinions. Researchers surveyed all 430 assisted reproductive technology practices in the U.S. The final sample included 340 clinics. In 338 of these practices, the patient or couple must sign a consent form before the embryos are frozen. In nearly all cases the consent form asks the patient to indicate what is to be done with the frozen embryos in the event that no one is able to make a decision. Options include: donating unwanted embryos to another patient or couple, donating them to research, or having them destroyed. Less than 2.5 percent of the embryos were listed as available for research. The vast majority of the embryos (87 percent) were listed as being stored for future efforts to establish or expand their family. The study reported how the patients had already designated that the embryos should be used, not opinions based on what might be.
The embryo is a human being, albeit very small, but still a human. Maybe if our society would encourage the fact that the embryo, as well as the unborn baby at any stage, is human and worthy of our protection, more people would consider adoption, rather than abortion or killing the embryo for the purpose of research.
I would encourage anyone interested in human embryo adoption to check out www.nightlight.org/snowflakeadoption.htm
