President Barack Obama's selection to head the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is being met with appreciation by family advocates.
Francis Collins, whom Obama called "one of the top scientists in the world," previously served as director of the National Human Genome Research Project at the NIH from 1993 to 2008. He is the author of The Language of God: A Scientist Presents Evidence for Belief and helped start the BioLogos Foundation, a Web site formed by scientists to bridge the gap between religion and science."
Paige Cunningham, executive director of the Center for Bioethics and Human Dignity, called Collins "a person who bridges the worlds of faith and science.
"He's made it very clear," she said, "that faith is not hostile to science."
Cunningham added that she finds it refreshing to have a man of character chosen for such a position.
"I think we can be confident that he will approach every ethical question with integrity," she noted. "And that is as much as you can ask for in a political appointment like this."
That's not to say Collins' position on issues is entirely embraced by the pro-life community, particularly since he supports destructive human embryonic stem-cell research.
— Roger Greer
