By Liz Townsend

Human embryos in Michigan conceived as part of fertility treatments can now be donated by their parents for destructive embryonic stem cell research, according to a constitutional amendment passed by Michigan voters November 4. The initiative expanded previous law that limited such research to existing stem cell lines, according to the Associated Press (AP).

"The passing of Proposal 2 was a sad day for Michigan," Barbara Listing, president of Right to Life of Michigan, told NRL News. "Sad because the voters put fantasy and unrealistic promises ahead of the reality of what human embryo research does to the weakest of their brothers and sisters. Sad because they have now allowed, for the first time, the killing of a human being to be enshrined into our state constitution. Sad because they came down on the side of the ends justify the means--although in this case the means are unknown and unproven."

Passed on a 53–47% vote, Proposal 2's supporters promised voters that embryonic stem cell research would bring millions of dollars in grants to the state and would result in medical breakthroughs, the AP reported.

Researchers have already begun to plan projects that will destroy embryos for experiments. "I can tell you this: We'll be meeting within the next week ... to expand our embryonic research program," Sean Morrison, director of the University of Michigan Center for Stem Cell Biology, told the AP. "We expect in the short-term millions of new dollars of grants to come from the federal government and private foundations to support the expanded research."

Pro-lifers worked diligently in opposition to the initiative and to bring the truth to the public--that embryonic stem cell research has not led to any treatments, that there are successful alternatives being used now, and that ambiguities in the amendment's wording actually remove all restrictions on embryonic stem cell research and could lead to human cloning. Opponents formed a coalition called MiCAUSE (Michigan Citizens Against Unrestricted Science and Experimentation), which included Right to Life of Michigan and other pro-life and religious groups.

After the vote, MiCAUSE officials called on state officials to monitor embryonic stem cell research in the state and stop abuses. "I think that legislative leaders ... need to take a look at this," spokesman Dave Doyle told the AP. "Proponents have said this will be highly regulated. We'll have to see. The constitutional amendment doesn't give us comfort that it will regulated in Michigan."

Right to Life of Michigan will also continue its mission to educate the people about embryonic stem cell research. "Now we must find ways to overcome this vote," said Listing, "and at the minimum encourage the parents of these frozen embryos not to buy into the deceptive promises and enticements of the research community and not to sacrifice their children."

Part One