ABOUT US

DO NO HARM: Australians for Ethical Stem Cell Research

A national association of doctors, scientists and concerned citizens, DO NO HARM was established in 2001 to promote ethical stem cell science while opposing cloning and experimentation on human embryos.

An entirely Australian organization, we share resources and expertise with our sister organization in the United States – see www.stemcellresearch.org

In 2002 Professor David Prentice, researcher in adult stem cells and founding member of DO NO HARM in the US, visited to inform the Australian debate on the Research on Embryos & Prohibition of Human Cloning Bill 2002 . In 2006 our Australian spokesman, Dr David van Gend, addressed the US Senate Values Action Team as a guest of Dr Prentice, updating on advances in adult stem cell science in Australia and their relevance to the international debate on cloning.

“DO NO HARM” is the key phrase of the Hippocratic Oath, “primum non nocere”.

As the central motto of medicine from ancient times, it stresses the doctor's first duty to cause no injury or death to those in his or her care.

As an essential principle of moral philosophy, non-malfeasance, “DO NO HARM” affirms that the ends do not justify the means – that it is not morally permissible intentionally to do harm in order that some good might come of it.

In the current context of cloning, that means it is not permissible to create human embryos solely for research; it is not permissible to sacrifice one life for the benefit of another life.