Letter of Transmittal to the President xi 
on all aspects of the moral and political debate. We have 
sought to present the arguments and counter-arguments, 
faithfully and accurately, so that all may learn what is at stake 
and where the debate now stands. 
Third, we have monitored recent scientific developments in 
human stem cell research, embryonic and adult, basic and 
applied. Our goal in the report is to enable (especially non- 
scientific) readers to appreciate the reasons for the excitement 
over stem cell research, the complexities of working with stem 
cells, some early intriguing research and therapeutic findings, 
and the difficult road that must be traveled before we can reap 
therapeutic and other benefits from this potentially highly 
fertile field of research. 
The other three specific goals have been informed by a 
fourth and overarching goal: to convey the moral and social 
importance of the issue at hand and to demonstrate how 
people of different backgrounds, ethical beliefs, and policy 
preferences can reason together about it. We want everyone to 
understand that biomedical research, being a human activity, 
must always be regarded as a moral endeavor, to be governed 
not only by the goals of gaining knowledge and relieving 
suffering, but also by the obligation to safeguard the inherent 
freedom and dignity of human life. Throughout the Coimcil’s 
deliberations and in this monitoring report. Council members 
have tried to acknowledge the strengths and importance of 
opinions and concerns held by people with whom they 
disagree. We have aspired to be careful and fair in our 
approach, precise in our use of language, accurate in 
presenting data and arguments, and thoughtful in our laying 
out of the various issues that remain before us. Above all, we 
want all parties to these debates to understand that their 
opponents, too, have something vital to defend, not only for 
themselves but for all of us. 
The policy debates over stem cell research that led you to 
create this Council continue; they, and other debates on 
related topics, are unlikely to go away any time soon. Our hope 
is that our work will help to make those debates richer, fairer, 
and better informed. 
PRE -PUBLICATION VERSION 
