Canadian Diabetes Association Supports Embryonic Stem Cell Research

LifeSiteNews.com ^ | August 23, 2007 | John-Henry Westen

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Canadian Diabetes Association Supports Embryonic Stem Cell Research

By John-Henry Westen

TORONTO, August 23, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) - An official response from the Canadian Diabetes Association indicates the funding organization is in complete support of using human embryos in destructive research.

The Canadian Diabetes Association is the country's foremost organization disseminating information to Canadians on the disease. Its mission is to "promote the health of Canadians through diabetes research, education, service and advocacy." The Association distributes government funding to researchers

A reply to a query by LifeSiteNews.com elicited an emailed response from "Susan" at the Canadian Diabetes Association Contact Centre who said that the Association "does not currently fund embryonic stem cell research" as of 2004-5.

"All stem cell work funded by the Association is with cells derived from non-embryonic tissues." Susan specified the promise shown by transplant research using pancreatic islet cells as an example of adult stem cell research in diabetes. This treatment involves, however, replacing a patient's islet cells with differentiated donor cells, not stem cells.

Susan went on to write that while the Association "recognizes the need to be respectful of the varying perspectives held by the Canadian public on this sensitive issue," it supports the "Canadian government's direction" on the use of embryos in research.

Canadian legislation, passed in 2004, was vigorously opposed by pro-life groups, ethics experts and numerous researchers because it allowed the use of live human beings at the embryonic stage for experimental research which ended their lives as well as failing to effectively prohibit human cloning for research.

Susan writes that the Diabetes Association will follow the guidelines laid out by the legislation. "Any future embryonic or stem cell related research applications to the Association will be required to meet the requirements of the Act Respecting Assisted Human Reproduction and Related Research."

A similar response was made in March 2002 by the Canadian Cancer Society which said it would support the then-new guidelines from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the federal funding agency which permitted experimentation on human embryonic children.

The Cancer Society stated at the time, "The Canadian Cancer Society and National Cancer Institute of Canada (NCIC) fully support, and will implement, the human embryonic stem cell research guidelines announced today by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research at a media conference in Ottawa."

In 2005 the Canadian Cancer Society granted $611,000 to fund Dr. Juan Carlos Zúñiga-Pflücker of the University of Toronto to attempt to produce white blood cells from embryonic stem cells.

To contact the Canadian Diabetes Association with concerns: Canadian Diabetes Association 1400-522 University AVE Toronto ON M5G 2R5 416 363-3373 1-800-226-8464 info@diabetes.ca

See LifeSiteNews.com's list of Canadian Charities that support embryonic stem cell research: http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2006/sep/060918a.html

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