Ethicists Debate New York State's Decision To Pay Egg Donors Who Aid Stem Cell Research

New York state's decision last month to allow state-funded embryonic stem cell researchers to pay women for donating their eggs had drawn support from many scientists and doctors but fueled debate among some ethicists, Long Island Newsday reports. The state's Empire State Stem Cell Board said that researchers can pay women up to $10,000 as compensation for their time and the invasive nature of the procedure.

Scientists and research advocates say the decision could boost important research into cures of serious diseases while attracting investments and new jobs to the state. Opponents raise ethical concerns about using taxpayer money for research that some people find morally objectionable. Some also contend that payment might exploit low-income women, according to Newsday. The National Academy of Sciences and NIH do not permit payments to research participants beyond reimbursement.

Thomas Berg -- director of the Westchester Institute for Ethics and the Human Person and a Roman Catholic priest opposed to embryonic stem cell research -- cast the sole dissenting vote in the stem cell board's decision. Berg said the board ignored his suggestions to open the discussion to the public. However, Samuel Packer -- a member of the board and chair emeritus at the North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System's Department of Ophthalmology -- said the decision was made during a public meeting following a "long, lively debate." Packer said, "At some point the dissenting voice can't stop the progress of science or anything else in society." He added, "There is a direct link between having better eggs and doing better research" (Ochs, Long Island Newsday, 7/9).


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