-
Anotheri A
modest
proposal
Affairs at the University of
Nebraska Medical Center stink to high \
heaven.
And it’s not just die traffic in abort
ed fetal parts you smell - it’s the unin
formed Board of Regents, the tight
lipped spokesmen and women and the
sordid company UNMC keeps.
News that die University of Nebraska
Medical Center is using fetal tissue for
research purposes has raised eyebrows,
not the least of whose include Gov. Mike
Johanns, U.S. Sea Chuck Hagel, Attorney
Generaf Don Stehberg and Speaker of die
Legislature Doug Kristensen.
But, “who cares?” seems to be the
response of UNMC and the Board of
Regents.
In a nation divided by the abortion
controversy, in a largely pro-life state
where abortion is denounced by the gov
ernor, the majority of the Legislature and
all but one of the federal elected officials
- one might think that someone in univer
sity administration would care.
Surprisingly, the Board of Regents
seemed to be in the dark about the
research until the news broke in The
Omaha World-Herald last Sunday. 4
Regent Nancy O’Brien, chairwoman of
the board, told the World-Herald her memo
ry was “pretty foggy” about the issue. Regent
Don Blank told the World-Herald that die
research information “may have come before
us chi some list.”
Kegent ilquck HasseorooK, vicecnairman 01
the board, stated that the Board of Regents was
not informed of the fetal tissue part of the
research’ and declared that “any comments to the
contrary are incorrect.”
He went on to say that the board should have
been informed about the controversial research.
So, who’s right, the chairwoman or the vice
chairman? They knew, or they didn’t know?
Well, they’re not the only ones who don’t
seem to know which way is up. Sandy Goetzinger
in the UNMC public affairs department was
unable to provide information as to when UNMC
began to receive federal dollars for the research,
how much money UNMC has received or the
year-by-year breakdown.
She commented that “the details of grant
information is harder to come by than you think.”
Apparently so. When Dr. William Bemdt,
vice chancellor at UNMC, was asked low long
the research had been going on, he said, “I’m not
certain about all of the details, but as far as I can
tell, since about 1995.”
Hmm, interesting. Dr James Linder, interim
dean of the College of Medicine at UNMC, said
the research began in 1997. Well, no matter,
they’re 6nly details.
According to Regent Robert Allen, one of the
chief goals of UNMC is to attract big-name
researchers, and “if we don’t let them do the
research they want, they won’t come.”
Allen also indicated that he considered this
effort on the part of UNMC to be successful, say
ing that it attracted researchers from Johns
Hopkins University. “That’s like getting God out
ofheaven.”
Not quite, Mr. Allen.
Nobody really remembers seeing anything,
nobody knows details, nobody has the same story
and nobody knew anything about fetal tissue.
The fetal tissue is “donated” to UNMC by one
Dr. LeRoy Carhart of Bellevue.
Incidentally, Dr. Carhart, founder of the
Bellevue-based Abortion & Contraception Clinic
of Nebraska, is one of the primary partial-birth
abortion providers in Nebraska and is on record
stating that partial-birth abortion is his preferred
method for die abortion of fetuses 12 weeks and
up.
Partial-birth abortion is a procedure where
labor is induced, the child is delivered three
fourths of the way and then the base of the skull is
pierced and die cranial contents suctioned out
It’s die cranial contents that UNMC wants.
And*as compensation for his donation, Dr.
IfliiD op- ~~7 woora
Delan Lonouski/DN
appointed a volunteer
faculty position in pathology and microbiology.
Although Dr. Caihart does not receive direct
monetary rewards for his donation, he has bene
fited significantly.
In July 1997, Carhart testified that he was not
board certified in any area and was not a special
ist In October 1997, he was appointed to the vol
unteer position at UNMC and began assisting
prestigious researchers.
“He has developed a method of isolating pop
ulations of brain cells,” UNMC spokesperson
Tom O’Connor told The World-HerakL
Vice Chancellor Bemdt was adamant that
Carhart was not paid but agreed that he was
“compensated for his cooperation” through his
appointment. He also acknowledged that Caihart
would not have been appointed if he were not
donating fetal tissue.
Bemdt indicated that UNMC was happy to
work with Caihart because the Medical Center
had prior sources for fetal material, but none of
them had worked out
Regent Robert Allen said that the appoint
ment of Carhart didn’t bother him in the least
Allen said he thought Carhart was appointed
because of his “cooperation and talent. He tries to
save lives, not destroy lives.”
That’s a fresh outlook on a man who makes
his living suctioning the brains out of unborn chil
dren.
Regent Chuck Hassebrook commented that,
while he’s supportive of the research, he’s “gener
ally opposed” to partial-birth abortion. He also
indicated that the appointment of Carhart was
something he “wants to look into.”
UNMC reports that they receive over $ 1 mil
lion in federal grant money from the National
Institutes for Health (NIH) for the research.
NIH prohibits direct compensation for fetal
tissue in grant funded projects.
Exact figures and breakdowns of NIH grants
were not provided by UNMC - remember, die
information is hard to come by.
Well, if one were to check the NIH Web site,
one would find
more information than one could possibly deci
pher. None of the grants for UNMC specifically
listed Alzheimer’s, but there was a total amount of
assistance for UNMC listed by fiscal year
1995: $12,006,664
1996: $13,889,441
1997: $14,920,148
1998: $16,202,664
1999: $20,657,686
Of course, not all of this money went to
research involving fetal tissue. But who can really
tell?
One thing’s for certain - UNMC did some
fancy maneuvering to hold on to the research
money.
Even though the controversial testing is for
Alzheimer’s research, interim dean of the College
of Medicine at UNMC, Dr. James Linder, report
ed to The World-Herald that the money was ini
tially granted for AIDS-related research. Linder
contends that any findings would be beneficial to
both diseases.
Wait Mr. Linder, couldn’t it just be that fetal
tissue research for AIDS was unsuccessful, but
you didn’t want to give up the money so you spun
the Alzheimer’s bit?
Isn’t it true that in at least thirty years of fetal
tissue testing (Geoffrey Chamberlain received a
professional award for research in 1968, as report
ed by The American Journal of Obstetrics and
Gynecology, for research using whole aborted
fetuses) none of it has been very insightful?
And isn’t it in fact true, Mr. Linder, that
although the controversial practice of fetal stem
cell research was once touted as “Parkinson's
Progress,” it has been bemoaned by researchers
like Dr. Paul Ranalli, professor of neurology at
the University ofToronto, as “hugely unimpres
sive”?
Hmm?
Well, UNMC still received over $20 million
from NIH this year. And “God” came to visit
from Johns Hopkins. So at least we’ve got that
going for us.
No matter about anything else.
What might actually be of grave consequence
are the ethical questions that surround the
Medical Center’s (blood) money.
Attorney General Stenbeig has long been a
strong opponent of abortion and called for a full
disclosure of the research process, including how
the tissue is obtained, transported and what abor
tion method is used.
It is highly likely that the tissue donated by
Carhart is from partial-birth abortions, since this
procedure would prevent contamination of the
“cranial contents.”
The moral dilemma here is quite clear: The
suctioning of brain tissue is what kills the fetus.
Fetal research at UNMC is directly related to
brain tissue.
We’re sacrificing the lives of the young to
save the lives of the old.
UNMC argues that the research does not pro
mote the practice of abortion.
Yet the defense of the research is that it will
produce good from a bad situation. This tries to
suggest some justification for a deplorable prac
tice. The defenders of fetal tissue research are
searching for an absolution that will never come.
Others argue that since these abortions are
happening anyway, we may as well put the
remains to good use. Well, folks, let’s just follow
that through to its logical conclusion.
Why don’t we use the rest of the fetus? Hell.
There are starving kids in Africa. Serve ‘em up
some ‘human tissue mass.’After all, it’s not a per
son, and we might as well put it to good use.
No, on second thought, this doesn’t make
such good sense. In fact, when Nebraska’s elected
officials have denounced the research and die
Legislature has voted to make the practice illegal
(the case is still in appeals, thanks to a lawsuit by
Carhart), it makes sense for UNMC to stop its
Nazi research.
It makes sense for UNMC to respect
Nebraskans’ wishes concerning their tax dollars
and the University ofNebraska’s reputation.
Jessica Flanagain is a senior English and philosophy major and a Daily Nebraskan columnist