Catholic Medical Association Says Health Care Reform Bills Too Pro-Abortion
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- The Catholic Medical Association supports “healthcare reform that increases access and quality" but the group is concerned about the pro-abortion and rationing aspects of the health care bills pending in Congress. The organization says “existing legislation in the House and Senate-- combined with President Obama’s push for hasty action-- could make our current, flawed system even worse.” The CMA, in a statement, says it is "particularly concerned about two significant ethical issues (1) respect for the conscience rights of health-care providers; and (2) a mandate to finance and provide abortion." The group continues: “Unprecedented powers are entrusted to the Secretary of Health and Human Services (as evidenced by over 1,120 references to the ‘Secretary’ and his/her powers in the House bill) and to a new authority-- the ‘Health Choices Commissioner.’ Moreover, a Federal Coordinating Council on Comparative Effectiveness was created and funded, without adequate debate, by the Stimulus Bill; and there are valid concerns that the FCCCE could soon start regulating medical treatments based not only on clinical, but also ‘economic’ criteria.” CMA President Louis C. Breschi, M.D., is alarmed that White House officials and Congressional committees have refused to exclude abortion from health-care legislation. Read the full statement here.

Research Team Can Turn Stem Cell Genes in Skin Cells Without Using Viruses
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- A research team comprised of faculty at Worcester Polytechnic Institute and investigators at CellThera, a private company, have discovered a novel way to turn on stem cell genes in human fibroblasts (skin cells) without the risks associated with inserting extra genes or using viruses. This discovery opens a new avenue for reprogramming cells that could eventually lead to treatments for a range of human diseases and traumatic injuries by coaxing a patient's own cells to repair and regenerate the damaged tissues. The research team reported its findings in the paper "Induction of Stem Cell Gene Expression in Adult Human Fibroblasts without Transgenes," published in Cloning and Stem Cells. "We show that by manipulating culture conditions alone, we can achieve changes in fibroblasts that would be beneficial in development of patient-specific cell therapy approaches," the authors wrote in the paper. Early on, the emerging field of regenerative medicine focused on embryonic stem cells, which can only be obtained by destroying human life. Now, scientists are using direct reprogramming, which can create embryonic-like stem cells without destroying human life. Called induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS), these reprogrammed cells could be used to regenerate tissue without some of the problems associated with embryonic stem cells, including ethical questions and the potential for embryonic stem cells to be rejected by a patient's immune system or to grow out of control and cause tumors.

Virginia Gubernatorial Candidate Bob McDonnell Leads Creigh Deeds by 15 Points
Richmond, VA (LifeNews.com) -- In this year's race for Virginia governor, a new survey shows pro-life Republican Bob McDonnell has opened up a double-digit lead over Democrat Creigh Deeds, who supports abortion. A SurveyUSA poll conducted July 27-28 has McDonnell, a former state Attorney General, with 55 percent support from likely voters. Deeds, a state senator, has 40 percent of the vote. The poll was taken after McDonnell and Deeds held their first debate last Saturday. McDonnell is winning 88 percent of Republicans and Deeds is winning 86 percent of Democrats, but McDonnell is crushing Deeds among self-described political independents by a margin of 60 percent to 35 percent. Though McDonnell is strongly opposed to abortion, he is winning 35 percent of voters who describe their stance on that issue as "pro-choice." The election is November 3rd and is one of the few marquee contests this November. Holly Smith, the chair of the Virginia Society for Human Life PAC, tells LifeNews.com that pro-life advocates in the state are squarely in McDonnell's corner. Smith said: "Virginia has a proud pro-life history and this election is vital to our continued efforts to protect innocent human life. Bob McDonnell has a proven record of fighting for protective pro-life laws in Richmond. Creigh Deeds is solidly pro-abortion. For pro-life Virginians, the choice is very clear -- the pro-life ticket is McDonnell, Bolling and Cuccinelli."

Illinois Medical Board Postpones Parental Notification on Abortion for 90 Days
Springfield, IL (Lifenews.com) -- Parents in Illinois will have to wait another 90 days before getting the right to know when their minor daughters are considering an abortion. That's because the Medical Disciplinary Board voted Friday to give abortion practitioners more time to understand their obligation under the new state law that was finally slated to go into effect after more than a decade of waiting. The Illinois law was enacted 14 years ago, but court challenges from abortion advocates who did not want parents to know about their minor daughter's abortion prevented it from going into effect. A federal appeals court's action earlier this month means it finally takes effect Tuesday, but now that has been postponed. The 90-day moratorium wouldn't protect violators from misdemeanor charges. Tom Brejcha, the president of the Thomas More Society, a Chicago-based pro-life legal group that sued to get the law to go into effect, says abortion practitioners have already had 14 years to prepare for the law and the grace period isn't needed. The legislature approved the law in 1995 but it took more than a decade for the Illinois Supreme Court to finally issue rules that the law requires for an appeals process for minors who want an abortion without telling their parents. Since that time, more than 50,000 Illinois teenagers have had abortions, including 4,000 who were 14 years-old or younger at the time of their abortion.

Hungary Stops Illegal Stem Cell Treatments Using Cells From Babies in Abortions
Budapest, Hungary (LifeNews.com) -- Hungarian police have detained four people on suspicion of carrying out illegal, untested stem cell treatments using embryos or aborted babies at a Hungarian private clinic. A police statement said two Hungarians, one U.S. and one Ukrainian citizen had been detained. It said the suspects were detained as they were preparing to treat a new patient in a Budapest-based health institution. Major Gabor Bucsek, who leads the police investigation, told Reuters later that 3 of the 4 suspects were detained in Budapest on July 27 and one Hungarian suspect was detained in a town in the countryside. He did not name the place. Police said in the statement they had launched proceedings on "suspicion of a banned use of the human body." There is well-founded suspicion that a U.S. citizen called Julliy B. has carried out stem cell treatments for money within the framework of a Hungarian stem cell research laboratory and a Hungarian-owned private clinic since 2007," police said.

Modesto, California School Board May Let Teens Get Abortions Without Notification
Modesto, CA (LifeNews.com) -- The school board of Modesto City Schools District is considering a controversial new policy that would allow students to leave campus for “confidential medical services” – including abortions – without their parents ever knowing about it. This is according to the Pacific Justice Institute, a pro-life legal group that monitors issues in the state. PJI has been contacted by several parents, teachers and residents of Modesto who have strong concerns about the proposed policy’s erosion of parental rights. The group will be sending a legal opinion letter to the school board this week explaining that current law clearly allows them to notify parents anytime their children are absent from school, for any reason. “This should be a no-brainer,” said Brad Dacus, president of Pacific Justice Institute. “Parents are the first and foremost caregivers and authority figures in their kids’ lives. A school district that chooses to deliberately hide from parents the fact that their child has had a major medical procedure, or is seeking counseling for serious emotional or substance abuse problems, is asking for a lawsuit.” The “confidential medical services” policy will be discussed next by the Modesto school board at its meeting on Monday, August 3. The meeting begins at 6 p.m. in the Board Room of the Staff Development Center Building, 425 Locust Street.

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