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Find Vaccines Through Ethical Research
Missouri Right to Life supports finding a vaccine through ethical research that does not include tissue from aborted babies or embryonic ttem cell research.

We encourage our national leaders to work through ethical research as they work to find a vaccine for the coronavirus (COVID-19). The goal is saving and protecting lives at every step of the process for everyone.
 
Please see the letter written and signed by 18 Attorneys General, including Missouri’s Attorney General Eric Schmitt, to President Donald Trump, Vice President Mike Pence, Secretary Alex Azar (DHHS), Director Francis Collins (NIH) asking them to find a vaccine for the corona virus (COVID-19) through ethical research.
 
Also see the letter written and signed by U.S. Senators, including Missouri’s Senator Josh Hawley, asking our national leaders to use ethical research in their work to find a vaccine for the corona virus (COVID-19).

Links: 
Advance Directives for a Natural End of Life
Continuing a series on pro-life advance directives by Jim Cole, MRL General Counsel.

VI. Diagnoses of patients’ mental states (such as PVS) are uncertain judgment calls

The diagnoses of “persistent unconsciousness,” “persistent vegetative state,” “no reasonable expectation of . . . recovery from a seriously incapacitating or terminal illness or condition,” and the like, lack definiteness. They are labels without much content, much like “neurasthenia” a century ago. At best they are diagnostic judgment calls that there is little or no consciousness at a particular time. Judgment calls are sometimes wrong. Experience has shown that some people who were thought to be in an irremediable "vegetative state" a quarter century ago may actually have been perfectly conscious but in a "locked in" state that prevented communication with the outside world.

The story of Martin Pistorius represents a rather dramatic example. At the age of 12, Martin was diagnosed with a form of meningitis, and within weeks he sank into a coma. His doctors told his parents that he was as good as a vegetable, and they should let him die. Instead, his parents spent long hours that turned into long years feeding him and providing for his needs. In four years, Martin's brain recovered sufficiently so that he regained full consciousness. But he did not recover the ability to move, so it was another long eight years before he was able to let others know that he was awake and alert. Martin is married now and has authored a book about his experience, Ghost Boy: My Escape From A Life Locked Inside My Own Body.

If persons choose to deny themselves treatment in the future because they "don’t want to live like that," they ought to be warned of the consequences. Advance directives that contain a prohibition against nutrition and hydration can harm patients if they find themselves in a conscious but locked-in condition. A prohibition on receiving any nutrition or other treatment may well doom them to a drawn-out, painful death—just the opposite of what they intended.
Life Links
Planned Parenthood closes more than 5,000 facilities worldwide during COVID-19

Link - The International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) has announced the closing of 5,633 member clinics due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and 23 others have reported a reduced ability to commit abortions.
Soros Democracy PAC Gives $1,000,000 to NARAL Group Behind Anti-Trump Abortion Attack Ad

Link - Soros is using his super PAC to exploit the coronavirus and attack President Donald Trump and using the issue of abortion to do it.
At-home abortions amid coronavirus lockdown will cause ‘serious harm,’ UK expert warns

Link - A medical expert is sounding the alarm about at-home abortions, as many around the world are not able to go to a doctor or abortion clinic due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Abortionist Admits Killing Babies Up to Birth: “There’s No Set Limit” on When I’ll Do an Abortion

Link - A new video of late-term abortionist Curtis Boyd shows him admitting to aborting unborn babies up to birth at his New Mexico abortion facility.
Company Developing Leading Coronavirus Vaccine Made It With Cells From Aborted Babies

Link - Although alternatives exist which could be considered morally acceptable, they are not getting as much coverage as Moderna’s vaccine work.
Why more work will be needed even if Roe v Wade is overturned

Link - Author of Abortion Rites: A Social History of Abortion in America, Marvin Olasky reminds pro-lifers this is a cultural issue, not just a legal one.
Dutch Supreme Court Approves Euthanasia for Dementia

Link - The Dutch Supreme Court has now explicitly approved the forced euthanasia of patients with dementia if they asked to be killed before becoming incompetent.
NY state first issues, then rescinds do-not-resuscitate order amid COVID-19

Link - 'Not only is patient trust eroded, but also societal trust in the healing professions is lost.'
Pro-Life Around the State
St. Louis - News from Defenders of the Unborn: All prayer vigils at Planned Parenthood mill and away from the abortion mill have been cancelled until further notice. Our next event was scheduled for April 18th our annual banquet. It has also been cancelled. We will review the status again on May 30, 2020, to see if we will be having our Jericho walk.
July 11 - Jefferson City - Pregnancy Help Center 5K Walk/Run, 8:30 am in Memorial Park.

September 12 - Jefferson City - Missouri Right to Life Statewide Leadership Meeting. Details coming soon.

MRL Eastern Region has copies of Abby Johnson’s presentation at the 43rd Annual Respect Life Convention, October 13, in St. Louis. They also have copies of the movies Gosnell and Unplanned. If anyone would like to arrange a showing in their chapter or church group, please contact [email protected].