Stem cell research restrictions, & their reversal
Later review of President
Bush's restrictions

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A year after President Bush's decision to limit studies to a small
number of stem cell lines, most of those lines had "crashed" and become
useless for research. By the end of 2002, only about a dozen of the
original 78 stem cell colonies worldwide were "...in good enough
shape to use in experiments. Even fewer -- perhaps four lines -- are being
routinely shared and sent to other researchers interested in breaking
into the field." 1
During 2005-MAY, when a stem cell bill was being debated in congress,
some commentators were quoting researchers as saying that none of the stem
cell lines were usable for research.
"To limit researchers to 60 cell lines, critics say, is like
telling mathematicians they can pursue their studies but they can never
use numbers bigger than 10. 'I think it's a ridiculous policy,' said
George Daley, a leading stem cell researcher at the Whitehead Institute
for Biomedical Research in Cambridge," MA. Evan Snyder, another stem
cell expert at the Harvard Medical School, called Bush's approach
'scientifically naive.' " 2
In late 2005-JUL, Bill Frist (R-TN), the
Senate Majority Leader, surprised religious and social conservatives
when he announced his support for modifying the president's policy. He
noted that only 22 lines out of the 78 originally foreseen by the
administration are still eligible for federal funding. Some of these are
deteriorating and/or contaminated. He said:
"... the limitation put into
place in 2001 will, over time, slow our ability to bring potential new
treatments for certain diseases.... embryonic stem cells uniquely hold
specific promise for some therapies and potential cures that adult stem
cells just cannot provide.....It's not just a matter of faith, it's a
matter of science." 3

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Gradual failure of the president's plan:
The president's restrictions on stem cell research
only control the supply of cells to government-funded research programs. Most of
those cells come from WiCell Research Institute Inc. of Madison,
WI now called the National Stem Cell Bank (NSCB).
These cell lines have been steadily degrading. Some have been reproducing for
over eight years, and suffer from DNA damage. Of the over 60 lines that were
available in 2001-AUG, only 22 were still useable five years later. Eventually,
all will be useless.
However, Douglas Melton, 52, a biologist from Harvard University, started producing stem cells independently
in 2003 using funding from the private Howard Hughes Medical Institute
in Chevy Chase, MD. He was motivated by the news that
two of his children were diagnosed with diabetes. The lines are shipped free to
non-governmental research projects.
By mid 2006, 667 stem cell batches were supplied by
Harvard; 246 came from the NSCB.
Larry Goldstein, a scientist at the University of California-San Diego noted
that Harvard cells, which he obtained at no cost, were better. They divided more
quickly than the $10,000 lot he received from the NSCB. He said: "We tend to
vote with our feet. Among the lines we've tried, the best have been from
Harvard. Those lines have been the most user-friendly.'' They are also
relatively free of the genetic abnormalities that are frequently seen in NSCB
lines.
Another problem with the NSCB stem cells is lack of ethnic diversity. They
apparently came mainly from affluent white families. Genetic diversity is
important if treatments are going to be developed that will function well for
all humans.
Bloomberg reports:
"Researchers in China, Sweden, and Colombia have recently derived new
cell lines, adding to the ethnic diversity of lines available
internationally. Because of the Bush administration's restrictions, American
scientists are unable to get government money to use any of them for
research." 4
Bill S. 997 was introduced into the Senate in 2007. It would have legalized
the creation and use of new stem cell lines. It was approved by both houses of Congress. President George W Bush
vetoed it. It has been reintroduced in 2009

References used in the above essay:
The following information sources were used to prepare and update the above
essay. The hyperlinks are not necessarily still active today.
- Paul Elias, "Stanford to Develop Human Stem Cells," Associated
Press, 2002-DEC-11. Online at:
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?
- Ceci Connolly, et al., "Viability of stem cell plan doubted,"
Washington Post, 2001-AUG-20, Page A01. See:
http://www.washingtonpost.com
- "A Matter of Science," The Washington Post, 2005-JUL-30, at:
http://www.camradvocacy.org/
- "Harvard Stem Cells Favored Over Those Produced With U.S. Funds,"
Bloomberg, 2006-JUL-13, at:
http://www.bloomberg.com/

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Copyright © 1998 to 2009 by Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance
Latest update: 2009-MAR-08
Author: B.A. Robinson


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