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US President Barack Obama signs an Executive Order on stem cell research in the East Room of the White House - Source: Reuters -
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President Barack Obama signed an order lifting eight years of
restrictions on federal funding of human embryonic stem cell
research as scientists gushed, activists cheered and shares in stem
cell companies rose.
Members of the US Congress and executives at the National
Institutes of Health said they would act swiftly to turn the new
policy into law and into cash for laboratories.
Obama's executive order reversed and repudiated restrictions placed
on the research by his predecessor, George W Bush, freeing labs
across the country to start working with the valued cells, which
give birth to all cells and tissues in the body.
The move made it possible for federally funded researchers to work
with human embryonic stem cells from a variety of sources, not just
the few batches Bush had approved.
Click here for more information about stem cells .
Officials at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), who had
chafed under the Bush policy, said they would start to draw up new
guidelines within the four-month timeline set by Obama.
They said they may start accepting applications for grants before
they finish. "The end goal is to ensure responsible and
scientifically worthy human stem cell research," said acting NIH
deputy director Lawrence Tabak.
Tabak expressed appreciation that Obama had left all scientific
questions to the NIH to decide.
The usual process for getting an NIH grant takes about nine months,
Tabak said, and the average stem cell grant has totaled about
$375,000 a year for five years.
NIH research is the gold standard underlying much other medical
research in the United States, with academic labs doing the basic
work and then licensing the actual development of treatments to
companies.
"By doing this, we will ensure America's continued global
leadership in scientific discoveries and technological
breakthroughs," Obama told a packed White House ceremony.
Shares of stem cell leader Geron Inc, which won government
permission in January to test embryonic stem cells in human
patients, closed up 16 percent at $US4.51. Shares in other stem
cell companies also rose.
Making law
Researchers said companies that have been afraid to test the waters
will likely leap in now that federal dollars can be used for the
most risky and experimental basic research.
Diana DeGette and Mike Castle, two members of Congress who pushed
legislation to bypass the Bush restrictions, said they would press
to turn Obama's decision into legislation.
"Mike and I both feel that our immediate and top priority is to
codify the executive order and pass the legislation that we have
passed twice before and that was vetoed by President Bush twice,"
DeGette, a Colorado Democrat, told reporters. "Our legislation is
already prepared and introduced."
But DeGette and Castle, a Delaware Republican, said they would not
take on the Dickey-Wicker amendment, which prevents the use of
federal funds to actually extract the stem cells from human
embryos.
"I think the Dickey-Wicker decision perhaps could be done later,"
Castle said.
Opposition
Not everyone was happy. "Obama opens door to human embryo farms",
the National Right to Life Committee said in a statement.
"If an embryo is a life, and I believe strongly that it is life,
then no government has the right to sanction their destruction for
research purposes," said Kansas Senator Sam Brownback.
Michael Werner of the Coalition for the Advancement of Medical
Research, an advocacy group, said states such as California and New
York that had established their own stem cell research groups stood
to gain from the change.
"The states that stepped out in front will have an advantage,"
Werner said by telephone.
What do you think about stem cell research? Have your say on our messageboard below:
Add a Comment:
Post new commentjonesab said on 2009-04-01 @ 20:57 NZDT: Report abusive post
stem cell research is important in the development of health science and is a good thing however i believe that embryonic stem cell research should not be used. these embryos could be the person who grows up to be the one to cure cancer or other diseases and by using them for research we take away their right to life. also adult stem cells have been used in various procedures where as embryonic stem cells have not been used once
geofreyraa said on 2009-03-10 @ 19:02 NZDT: Report abusive post
Curing debilitating illnesses is a good thing in itself, but not at the expense of human organisms. This might be a position that inhibits the advancement of an area of Science, but protecting the sanctity of life is our duty.
Outraged of Grey Lynn said on 2009-03-10 @ 12:50 NZDT: Report abusive post
Well, geofreyraa, I suppose we could get into the whole pro-life vs research argument, etc, etc, but frankly, yawn. Anything that could potentially cure such debilitating diseases (which I would think is pro-life in itself) can only be a good thing.
hola said on 2009-03-10 @ 12:45 NZDT: Report abusive post
I fully support stem cell research - it's not something like making designer babies, it's saving lives and helping people with debilitating conditions
geofreyraa said on 2009-03-10 @ 11:34 NZDT: Report abusive post
Either that is the case Outrage or they seek to protect what is a human embryo, the earliest form of both you and I.