Jewish tradition teaches us that pikuach nefesh, or saving life, is our paramount moral obligation.& In keeping with this tradition, every major Jewish denomination has endorsed stem cell research because of its potential life-saving ability, and these endorsements extend to embryonic stem cell research. We have witnessed how the degenerative diseases associated with aging impact individuals and challenge families. Promising studies suggest that stem cell research, including embryonic stem cell research, could hold the key to understanding, preventing, treating, and even curing these conditions.
To support this research, B'nai B'rith joined the American Technion Society, the U.S. branch of Israel's Technion Institute, which is world renown for stem cell research. This partnership formed the Stem Cell Foundation International, which raises funds for research and generates public awareness of the issue in the United States.
In 2006, and again in 2007, both the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation that would allow embryonic stem cell research projects to compete for NIH and other government funding on a level-playing field with other medical research. However, by executive order of the President, the federal government cannot fund most embryonic stem cell research. But, currently federal funds cannot be used for most embryonic stem cell research, by executive order of the President of the United States.
Click here to read BBI's comments on the NIH guidelines.
