Frozen embryos ‘not human’, S. Korean court rule
A South Korean court has ruled that frozen embryos are not yet human and thus may be experimented upon and destroyed at will.
The ruling was issued against a suit filed by the parents of the embryos, as well as eleven other individuals, including philosophers, ethicists, and doctors. In addition, the two embryos themselves were listed among the plaintiffs, Lifesite News reports.
Three embryos were created by in vitro fertilization and one was implanted. The other two were to remain available for implantation or to be used for scientific research.
However, the embroyos’ parents had a change of heart and, aided by a team of experts, sought to vindicate the rights of their unborn children.
“Bioethical laws that define artificially inseminated embryos as non-human bundles of cells treats them as tools for research and mandates their disposal at the end of a preservation period, and is a violation of the fundamental right to life,” the plaintiffs wrote.
However, the court ruled that before fourteen days of development, an embryo is not a human being.
“Although we acknowledge the basic rights of fetuses before birth, pre-embryos, which have been fertilized but within which the ‘primitive streak’ has not yet formed, cannot be regarded as humans,” the court wrote.
“Embryos that are less than 14 days from insemination have the potential to become a human being but have no independent humanity. They should not be granted the same constitutional rights as a human being,” said Kang-kook, president of the Constitutional Court.
The Catholic Archdiocese of Seoul’s Life Committee denounced the decision, noting its dehumanizing premises.
“Catholics regret this decision by the Constitutional Court because we are opposed both to the artificial creation of embryos and to their use, once created, as tools for manufacture, as they are entitled to dignity as living beings.”
SOURCE: South Korean Court Rules that Frozen Human Embryos are ‘Not Human’ (Lifesite News)
The ruling was issued against a suit filed by the parents of the embryos, as well as eleven other individuals, including philosophers, ethicists, and doctors. In addition, the two embryos themselves were listed among the plaintiffs, Lifesite News reports.
Three embryos were created by in vitro fertilization and one was implanted. The other two were to remain available for implantation or to be used for scientific research.
However, the embroyos’ parents had a change of heart and, aided by a team of experts, sought to vindicate the rights of their unborn children.
“Bioethical laws that define artificially inseminated embryos as non-human bundles of cells treats them as tools for research and mandates their disposal at the end of a preservation period, and is a violation of the fundamental right to life,” the plaintiffs wrote.
However, the court ruled that before fourteen days of development, an embryo is not a human being.
“Although we acknowledge the basic rights of fetuses before birth, pre-embryos, which have been fertilized but within which the ‘primitive streak’ has not yet formed, cannot be regarded as humans,” the court wrote.
“Embryos that are less than 14 days from insemination have the potential to become a human being but have no independent humanity. They should not be granted the same constitutional rights as a human being,” said Kang-kook, president of the Constitutional Court.
The Catholic Archdiocese of Seoul’s Life Committee denounced the decision, noting its dehumanizing premises.
“Catholics regret this decision by the Constitutional Court because we are opposed both to the artificial creation of embryos and to their use, once created, as tools for manufacture, as they are entitled to dignity as living beings.”
SOURCE: South Korean Court Rules that Frozen Human Embryos are ‘Not Human’ (Lifesite News)
Dr. Vilas Gayakwad/Wikipedia
