Feature Story - April 2009
Federal Restrictions on Embryonic Stem Cell Research Rolled Back
Backers of the research say, stem cells derived from embryos have the potential to form any of the body's 200 or so cell types, such as nerve cells or brain cells, and to repair or replaced damaged tissue or organs. They say it could offer hope to people suffering from Parkinson's disease, spinal cord injuries and other conditions. The embryos are typically culled from fertility clinics, that would otherwise be discarded.
President Obama has signed an executive order reversing limits placed on federal funding of controversial embryonic stem cell research eight years ago, by former President Bush.
In an effort to prevent federal tax dollars from encouraging the destruction of more embryos, the former president imposed the restrictions on August 9, 2001, limiting such funding to studies of what turned out to be 21 stem cell lines that were already in existence.
Opponents of such research, in which the days-old embryos are destroyed in the harvesting of their stem cells, say, it's morally offensive and amounts to murder.
To date, however, breakthroughs have been limited to variants of adult stem cell research, in which the stem cells are found throughout the body after embryonic development. In all, 72 cures and treatments have been derived from adult stem cell research.
President Obama's directive will enable scientists to apply for government money to research hundreds of embryonic stem cell lines which have been developed in the private sector since the limitations were put in place eight years ago.
During the signing ceremony, the President stated, in part, "At this moment, the full promise of stem cell research remains unknown, and it should not be overstated. But scientists believe these tiny cells may have the potential to help us understand, and possibly cure, some of our most devastating diseases and conditions.
In recent years, when it comes to stem cell research, rather than furthering discovery, our government has forced what I believe is a false choice between sound science and moral values. In this case, I believe the two are not inconsistent. As a person of faith, I believe we are called to care for each other, and work to ease human suffering. I believe we have been given the capacity and will to pursue this research–and the humanity and conscience to do so responsibly.
It is a difficult and delicate balance. Many thoughtful and decent people are conflicted about, or strongly oppose, this research. I understand their concerns, and we must respect their point of view.
But after much discussion, debate and reflection, the proper course has become clear. The majority of Americans–from across the political spectrum, and of all backgrounds and beliefs–have come to a consensus that we should pursue this research --that the potential it offers is great, and with proper guidelines and strict oversight, the perils can be avoided.
By doing this, we will ensure America's continued global leadership in scientific discoveries and technological breakthroughs. This is essential not only for our economic prosperity, but for the progress of all humanity.
I can also promise that we will never undertake this research lightly. We will support it only when it is both scientifically worthy, and responsibly conducted. We will develop strict guidelines, which we will rigorously enforce, because we cannot ever tolerate misuse or abuse. And we will ensure that our government never opens the door to the use of cloning for human reproduction. It is dangerous, profoundly wrong, and has no place in our society, or any society," the President said. The President's executive order gives the National Institutes of Health, the government's chief health-research agency, 120 days to establish new rules governing embryonic stem cell research. The NIH has already begun requesting proposals for such research projects, using some of the $10 billion it was awarded from the recent economic stimulus package.
The President's directive was applauded by the Interfaith Alliance.
Alliance President, Rev. Dr. C. Welton Gaddy, called it "good news for science and religion."
"The ban instituted by President Bush was based on the views of a select group of faiths, rather than on sound science. Federally funded scientific institutions must be guided by objectivity, facts, and evidence, and not ideology. We do a disservice to religion when we ban scientific pursuits in its name," Gaddy said.
Likewise, the Rev. Dr. Carlton Veazey, President and ceo of the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice, congratulated the president for lifting the Bush administration's "ideological restrictions" on federal funding of embryonic stem cell research.
"This change is a victory for rational policy-making that respects diverse religious and moral views, and a defeat for right-wing religious politics," Veazey said.
The President's action was also hailed by the American Humanist Association, which called it a "triumph of science over dogma."
AHA President, David Niose, said, "This is a victory for scientific integrity and rational public policy, two values threatened when government is unduly influenced by conservative religion. When our laws are shaped by scriptural interpretations and religious opinions that have no basis in science or fact, we all suffer."
Pro-life and pro-family groups denounced the President's directive. Douglas Johnson, legislative director for National Right to Life Committee, said, "It's a sad day when the federal government will fund research that exploits living members of the human species as raw material for research. Obama's order also places our society on a very steep, very slippery slope. Many researchers will not be satisfied to use only so-called surplus embryos. Many researchers are already demanding federal support for research in which human embryos would be created for the specific purpose of research, through human cloning and other methods; and there was nothing in the President's remarks to limit NIH to the use of so-called surplus embryos created in IVF (in vitro fertilization) clinics.
Embryonic stem cells have yet to benefit a single human patient, and have proven most adept at generating tumors," Johnson said.
American Life League President, Judie Brown, said, "It is a tragic day for America, for preborn children and for the entire pro-life community. A president who once claimed he wanted to reduce abortion has exposed his hypocrisy over and over again.
For the first time in American history, the federal government will now encourage the cannibalization of human persons for science. This grisly biotechnological assault on preborn children will only end with a ban on in vitro fertilization–the root of a problem that has now become more horrific than ever," Brown said.
Richard Land, president of the Southern Baptist Convention's Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, noted, "President Obama's action could swiftly lead to the potential destruction of several hundred thousand unborn human beings who currently exist as frozen embryos in storage facilities across the country."
Cardinal Justin Rigali, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' Committee on Pro-Life Activities, stated, "President Obama's new executive order on embryonic stem cell research is a sad victory of politics over science and ethics. This action is morally wrong because it encourages the destruction of innocent human life, treating vulnerable human beings as mere products to be harvested. It also disregards the values of millions of American taxpayers who oppose research that requires taking human life. Finally, it ignores the fact that ethically sound means for advancing stem cell science and medical treatments are readily available and in need of increased support."
However, Joni Eareckson Tada, the longest living quadriplegic on record, and who opposes embryonic stem cell research, fears, the President's executive order will result in fewer dollars for adult stem cell research.
Tada, who is founder of Joni and Friends International Disability Center, said, "I think that's reprehensible. Billions of dollars being spent researching the nature and structure of the human cell while there are cures out there, and potential treatments using adult stem cells, desperately wanting for money, I think is immoral and unethical -- to keep families with disabilities waiting unnecessarily when these real cures are within reach, using adult stem cells.
We are pouring billions of federal dollars into research that not only destroys human life for its stem cells, but has not produced one medical treatment on a single human being. We should be pouring precious federal dollars into real treatments, and that's through therapies developed through adult stem cells," Tada said.
The President issued his directive as moves were already underway by opponents in a handful of conservative-leaning states to push for restrictions on embryonic stem cell research, such as granting fertilized embryos "personhood" -- the fertilized embryos which are destroyed when their stem cells are extracted for research. However, a new scientific breakthrough announced by British and Canadian researchers just one week before the President signed the executive order, could eventually make the ethical debate over embryonic stem cell research a moot point.
The researchers came up with a safer way to reprogram ordinary human skin cells into embryonic-like stem cells, without the use of a virus. The researchers were concerned that the use of viruses to convert skin cells into stem cells could cause cancer in some patients. This newer method has the potential to produce an unlimited supply of safe embryonic-like stem cells.
Their research appears in the journal, "Nature."
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