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Read the Catechism in a Year

Day 270 - Embryonic Experimentation

The Fifth Commandment: You shall not kill.

Can experiments be performed on living embryos and embryonic stem cells?
No. Embryos are human beings, because human life begins with the fusion of a sperm cell and an egg.
Regarding embryos as biological material, “producing” them and then “using” their stem cells for purposes of research is absolutely immoral and falls under the commandment “You shall not kill.” Research on adult stem cells is a different matter, since they cannot develop into human beings. Medical interventions on an embryo are justifiable only if they are made with the intention of healing, if the life and unimpaired development of the child are assured, and if the risks involved are not disproportionately great. (YOUCAT question 385)

Dig Deeper: Corresponding CCC section (2275) and other references here.The Incredible Conversion Story of an Ex-Abortionist: