The Predicament: Francis Collins, Human Embryos, Evolution, and the Sanctity of Human Life

The Predicament: Francis Collins, Human Embryos, Evolution, and the Sanctity of Human Life, Christian News Commentary, Page 0: Peter Boyer reports that Francis Collins 'was personally torn by the ethical questions posed by stem-cell research' before joining the Obama administration. Nevertheless, he is now pushing hard for the expansion of such research. As Boyer explains:

He has long opposed the creation of embryos for the purpose of research. He sees a human embryo as a potential life, though he thinks that it is not possible scientifically to settle precisely when life begins. But Collins also feels it is morally wasteful not to take advantage of the hundreds of thousands of embryos created for in-vitro fertilization that ultimately are disposed of anyway. These embryos are doomed, but they can help aid disease research.

This is a very troubling passage.