Remarkable advances in science and medicine have led to vast improvements in the treatment of disease, disabilities, palliative care, the mitigation of pain and suffering, and increased life expectancy.  However, along with modern medical progress come a myriad of serious ethical questions and concerns. Parliamentarians and others must ask tough ethical questions about the ramifications to human dignity. Just because something can be done, should it? What are the ethical boundaries? Do the ends justify the means?
 
The use of stem cells derived through the destruction of human embryos disregards the dignity of that unique human entity, as does cloning. Such practices are intrinsically wrong and violate respect for life.  The development of prenatal screening techniques to identify unborn children with genetic anomalies for the purpose of ending such precious lives violates their inviolable right to life.  Disability should not be a death sentence.
 
The adequate provision of health care for the elderly, the sick and the dying presents increased concern about possible rationing of care and denial of basic health care including food and water. With the “graying” of the world, ethical questions about the end of life are as much a challenge to lawmakers as are issues concerning the beginning of life.
 
PNCI believes that all human beings, regardless of age, sex, race, ethnicity, disability, creed, stage of development, or condition of dependency possess an inherent right to life and seeks to advance legislation to secure respect for the dignity of all lives in law and policy. PNCI agrees with the former chairman of the President’s Council on Bioethics, Dr. Edmund Pellegrino of Georgetown University, who stated: “To advance human good and avoid harm, biotechnology must be used within ethical constraints. It is the task of bioethics to help society develop those constraints and bioethics, therefore, must be of concern to all of us."
 

Links:

President’s Council on Bioethics
Archived website of President George W. Bush’s Council on Bioethics provides materials on the ethical issues that arise from advances in biotechnology and biomedical sciences and the challenges they present to policy. http://bioethics.georgetown.edu/pcbe/index.html

Bioethics Defense Fund
Public-interest law firm that provides legal and educational solutions to life issues
http://www.bdfund.org/
 
National Catholic Bioethics Center
Posts material related to human dignity in health care and the life sciences.
http://www.ncbcenter.org/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?pid=438