Reason as Our Guide

W e are two of the scientist members of the President's Council on Bioethics. In late 2001, we were invited by the President of the United States to serve on this Council. The Bioethics Council was appointed by the President to " monitor stem-cell research, to recommend appropriate guidelines and regulations, and to consider all of the medical and ethical ramifi cations of biomedical innovation.... This council will keep us apprised of new developments and give our nation a forum to continue to discuss and evaluate these important issues. " This was a diffi cult invitation to accept. On the one hand, the President's views on the use of human embryonic stem cell research and somatic cell nuclear transfer techniques were well-known and in confl ict with our own beliefs about the costs and benefi ts of the use of progressive technologies to advance biomedical research. On the other hand, we were grateful that the President, despite his views in opposition to these therapies, was willing to invite serious biomedical scientists to help formulate advice to him—and ultimately to contribute to the development of national policy— on these critically important advances. We knew that on this originally 18-member (but for most of the past two years a 17-member) Council, as scientists we would be in the minority in our belief of the good to be gained through these and other areas of biomedical research. We were also aware that some others on the Council had strong opposing views. Thus, it was only with the assurances of the Council chairman, Leon Kass of the University of Chicago, and of the President of the United States himself that we were persuaded that our voices would be heard and integrated into the statements of the Council. Furthermore, we felt, and continue to feel, that bioethical issues are important not only to all biologists, but also to society at large, and thus especially worthy of engaging debate and discussion. Two recently issued reports of the Council, " Beyond Therapy: Biotechnology and the Pursuit of Happiness " (http:⁄⁄bioethics.gov/ reports/beyondtherapy/index.html) and " Monitoring Stem Cell Research " (http:⁄⁄bioethics.gov/reports/ stemcell/index.html), are therefore of deep concern to us. We discuss them in turn below. The " Beyond Therapy " report deals with issues of direct concern for every thoughtful person. However, in the interests of setting straight the record of our views, as Council members and scientists, on …