January 8, 2007 01:15 PM
An Interview with Richard Doerflinger
By John Mallon
Richard Doerflinger is the U.S. Bishops' bioethics expert who spoke last September at an important conference in Rome on stem-cell research. A shorter version of this interview appeared under the title “Stem Cell Debate” in the December 2006 issue of the Italian publication, Messenger of Saint Anthony. It is published here with their kind permission.
Richard M. Doerflinger, Interim Executive Director of the U.S. Bishops’ Secretariat for Pro-Life Activities, took part in an international congress titled “Stem Cells: What Future for Therapy?” September 14-16 at the Augustinianum Institute, adjacent to St. Peter’s Square in Rome. The congress, featuring researchers from around the world who have published advances in the use of non-embryonic stem cells, was co-sponsored by the Pontifical Academy for Life, and the International Federation of Catholic Medical Associations.
Speaking at the conference in Rome Doerflinger said that embryonic stem cell research continues to pose the ethical problem of destroying human embryos, but increasingly poses the ethical problem of deceiving the public as well.
Mr. Doerflinger has testified before the U.S. Congress, the National Bioethics Advisory Commission, and the National Institutes of Health on ethical issues involving human embryo research. He has also published widely on this and other medical-moral issues. He holds a B.A. degree and an M.A. in Divinity from the University of Chicago, and conducted doctoral studies in Theology at that institution and the Catholic University of America.
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