Voters In Michigan To Decide On Stem Cell Research Measure

Main Category: Stem Cell Research
Article Date: 16 Oct 2008 - 7:00 PDT

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Voters in Michigan next month will be "thrust into the crossroads of science, ethics and religion" when they decide on Proposal 2, which would change the state's law to allow embryos left over from fertility treatments to be donated for stem cell research, the AP/Seattle Times reports. According to the AP/Times, Michigan laws regarding embryonic stem cell research are "among the nation's most restrictive," allowing research only to be conducted on stem cell lines already established by researchers in other states. If Proposal 2 is passed, embryos created for fertility treatments that are not suitable for implantation and otherwise would be discarded could be donated for research. Under the proposal, embryos must be donated, and buying or selling embryos for research would be illegal. In addition, stem cells could not be removed from the embryos more than 14 days after cell division begins.

According to the AP/Times, supporters of the proposal argue that if the ballot initiative is passed, Michigan researchers would be at the "forefront" of stem cell research. Former state legislator Joe Schwarz (R) -- chair of the CureMichigan campaign, which supports the measure -- said that "eventually, the majority of therapies and cures will be coming from genetic therapy." Opponents of the proposal argue that the research is unethical because it uses human embryos, adding that under the measure, Michigan lawmakers would not be able to regulate stem cell research. David Doyle, spokesperson for Michigan Citizens Against Unrestricted Science and Experimentation, said that "[t]here are a lot of reasons to vote 'no' on [Proposal 2], and one is that it would lead to unregulated research" (Martin, AP/Seattle Times, 10/13).

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