The Human Experiment:
Understanding Cloning and Stem Cell Research
By Dave Andrusko

As this issue of NRL News illustrates perfectly, there is immense interest in and controversy over human stem cell research and cloning.

The battle is being waged in the media, in state legislatures, even in the United Nations. (See story, page one.)

There is a new resource for pro-lifers that thoughtfully explains the cloning debate and stem cell technology. The documentary, The Human Experiment: Understanding Cloning and Stem Cell Research, is a perfect resource both to educate yourself and anyone else who finds themselves bewildered by the conflicting claims.

The DVD quickly and clearly explains what is at stake. Financed with a donation from Vincent Fortanasce, M.D., and California's Physicians for Compassionate Care, the DVD provides interviews with many of the nation's leading pro-life and scientific experts in this field.

That list includes Wesley Smith; NRLC President Wanda Franz, Ph.D.; Joni Eareckson Tada; Richard Doerflinger; NRLC Director of Education Randall K. O'Bannon, Ph.D.; Rex Greene, M.D., and with many others. And best of all, each explanation is as clear as it is compelling.

There is a very useful overview in The Human Experiment: Understanding Cloning and Stem Cell Research of adult stem cells, which are found in a person's own body or in umbilical cords or placentas. You actually see how they are extracted from umbilical cords.

The film was originally produced in California in preparation for the recent "Prop 71" battle in which proponents of human stem cell research and cloning prevailed. More than $3 billion will be poured into government-sponsored cloning and embryonic research projects.

Proponents had spent in excess of $30 million in the initiative fight. Pro-life forces spent a mere fraction of that amount.

Many other states are now facing similar proposals both in their legislatures and through initiative proposals. Few voters, and in many cases relatively few pro-life individuals, fully understand the nature of the debate. Many Californians who had once actively supported the cloning initiative are only now realizing what it really does!

This DVD is an important educational tool for this pressing debate, as was illustrated recently in Virginia. A bill to promote the creation and purposeful destruction of living human embryos for their stem cells was introduced into the Virginia legislature at beginning of the 2005 session.

NRLC's Virginia affiliate, the Virginia Society for Human Life (VSHL), quickly ordered a copy of The Human Experiment: Understanding Cloning and Stem Cell Research for each legislator on the relevant committee. VSHL also arranged for a showing and a discussion of the real issues involved in stem cell research.

The bill was immediately defeated. Brenda Fastabend, president of VSHL, was very pleased with the result, saying of the documentary that it was "a compelling presentation, a very valuable tool which should be used as extensively as possible."

The program is appropriate for all ages and a useful tool for classrooms, libraries, Bible study groups, pro-life speaking engagements, and anywhere people want to look at the full implications of this debate.

Copies may be ordered from the California ProLife Council, (800) 924-2490, for a donation of $15 (which includes shipping) or online at
www.CaliforniaProLife.org.

Quantity discounts are available for groups.