Very interesting article at Israel21c on Israeli strides in stem cell research. These comments come at the end:
How has Israel, a country the size of the smallest US states, risen to such a position of prominence in this crucial field?
First of all, according to Hasson, Israel is disproportionately represented in all the natural sciences. In many US universities, he says, the number of Israeli graduate students in biology-related fields approaches that of their colleagues from India and China, countries that have populations more than 200 times greater than Israel's. In addition, he says, Israelis are forward-thinking, and are attracted to the 'hottest' fields of science.
Perhaps most significant is the fact that ethical issues, which have curbed stem cell research in the US and elsewhere, are muted in Israel. There is no law regulating stem cell research in Israel, and use of embryos for such research is allowed. In the US, embryonic stem cell research is a burning issue that played a major role in the recent presidential election. As of 2001, US President George W. Bush prohibited the federal financing of embryonic stem cell research, although the authorization of such projects is left to the discretion of each state. [*]
These radically different approaches can be partially linked to different religious beliefs.
In the view of Roman and Orthodox Catholics and many other Christians, human beings come into existence with the fertilization of the ovum by the sperm. Thus, as the earliest embryos are human, ending their lives is unthinkable - even for therapeutic applications. IVF procedures, which routinely result in 'surplus' embryos that will never develop, are unacceptable. This prohibits the very source of embryos for stem cell research.
Jewish Biblical and Talmudic Law holds that the embryo acquires full human status only at birth. In connection to the pre-implantation embryo, Jewish Law dictates that genetic materials outside the uterus have no legal status since they are not part of a human being until implanted in the womb. Even in the uterus, the embryo is considered a 'formed' human fetus only after the first 40 days. And as the commandment to save lives is central to Judaism, the creation of embryos by cloning for therapeutic purposes is justifiable.
* This statement isn't entirely correct. The policy in question does permit federal funding for research using a limited category of stem cells.
