Opponents Of Michigan Embryonic Stem Cell Measure 'Confuse' Issue With Misleading Ads, Editorial Says

Main Category: Stem Cell Research
Also Included In: Women's Health / Gynecology
Article Date: 30 Oct 2008 - 9:00 PDT

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Opponents of Proposition 2 -- a Michigan ballot initiative that would amend the state constitution to allow embryonic stem cell research -- have "spent a great deal of money to confuse the issue" through misleading advertisements, a Detroit News editorial states. According to the editorial, "when voters are confused about what a ballot measure will do, they tend to vote no," which would be a "big mistake" with regards to Prop. 2. The proposed law is "not the extreme measure it is portrayed to be by the opposition," the editorial says.

"Contrary to what the anti-Prop. 2 ads say, the amendment doesn't allow wholly unrestricted and unregulated embryonic stem cell research," the editorial states. Rather, the amendment "would set very strict conditions" for embryo donation, including that the embryos were created for fertility treatments, were donated voluntarily by the individuals seeking the treatments and were set to be destroyed as medical waste if not donated for research. The editorial adds that the "best argument for supporting the proposal is that the embryos that will be used already exist and are destined to be discarded. That's a waste."

In addition, contrary to statements made by the opponents of the measure, taxpayer funding for the research would be granted only "if the taxpayers and their representatives choose to do so," according to the editorial. The amendment also "leaves in place all existing measures to prevent cloning," the editorial says.

Prop. 2 is a "sensible proposal that will allow Michigan to join other states in pursuing what could potentially be promising research, both in terms of medical breakthroughs and economic development," the editorial states, concluding that voters should "cut through the confusion" and vote in favor of the amendment (Detroit News, 10/28).

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