Wesley J. Smith

Some politicians have no shame, and methinks we have to now include Senator Frank R. Lautenberg, D-N.J., to that list. Reacting to a story about high levels of autism in NJ, the good Senator said. “This report only strengthens my resolve to get federal funding for embryonic stem cell research, . . . . Continue Reading »

James Thomson, who first derived human embryonic stem cells, is a man of integrity. I disagree with him on the ethics of the issue, but he always tells it like it is. For example, where some cloning advocates claim that a cloned human embryo is not really an embryo—a major argument of the pro . . . . Continue Reading »

Assemblyman Lloyd Levine, who tried to legalize assisted suicide last year and will again this year, has another pet cause: Outlawing the sale of incandescent light bulbs in the Golden State. So in Levine’s world, a doctor should be able to write a lethal prescription to kill a patient, but if . . . . Continue Reading »

And so, what I call biotechnological colonialism continues. Now. the Times of London is reporting, British would-be parents are traveling to India to buy embryos for implantation and birth. From the story: “The booming industry has attracted criticism on ethical grounds. Social workers in . . . . Continue Reading »

I am published today in the First Things blog about the Swiss court ruling permitting assisted suicide for the mentally ill. I point out that the Dutch Supreme Court issued a strikingly similar ruling more than ten years ago and that there is advocacy here in the USA for “rational . . . . Continue Reading »

The Chinese Government is being advised to experiment with euthanasia in preparation for full legalization in coming years. Why are we surprised? A nation that sells the organs of executed prisoners and has a eugenics public policy, is probably not going to be squeamish about doctors killing . . . . Continue Reading »

I have a piece in today’s NRO about Ashley’s Case. The article was written a few weeks ago when the story was hotter, but I think it remains worth our contemplation. In the column, I worry that Ashley was used as a subject of unethical human experimentation, point out that “what we . . . . Continue Reading »

Missouri is beginning to feel the folly of passing Amendment 2. One of the law’s provisions prevented the legislature from refusing to fund embryonic stem cell/human cloning research, if other areas of stem cell research is financed. I warned that this would force the legislature to either . . . . Continue Reading »

Heart patients in Texas will be receiving infusions of their own adult stem cells found in fat, as a method of helping to regenerate damaged heart tissue. This technique has shown good results in animal studies and at least one study in Spain. Let us hope that the 30 initial patients thrive and that . . . . Continue Reading »

This is great news: The bill to legalize assisted suicide in Hawaii is apparently close to failing. What makes this so impressive is that a few years ago it came within two or three votes of passing the legislature and going on to the former governor who wanted his legacy to be assisted suicide . . . . Continue Reading »