Stem Cell Research Opponents Express Concern Over Obama's Pledge To Lift Research Restrictions

Main Category: Stem Cell Research
Also Included In: Women's Health / Gynecology
Article Date: 26 Nov 2008 - 5:00 PDT

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President-elect Barack Obama is expected to reverse the restrictions on federal funding for embryonic stem cell research implemented by the Bush administration, prompting opponents of such research to express concerns about possible implications, the AP/Google.com reports. In addition, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) has expressed interest in pushing legislation during the first 100 days of the new Congress to set up a regulatory framework for embryonic stem cell research.

According to the AP/Google.com, Obama during the campaign responded to questions from scientists, physicians and engineers that he believes "it is ethical to use ... extra embryos for research that could save lives when they are freely donated for that express purpose" (Freking, AP/Google.com, 11/23). Currently, federal funds for human embryonic stem cell research can be used for embryonic stem cell lines created on or before Aug. 9, 2001, under a policy announced by President Bush on that date. Bush twice has vetoed bills that would have allowed federal funding for research using stem cells derived from human embryos originally created for fertility treatments and willingly donated by patients (Daily Women's Health Policy Report, 10/21).

During the campaign, Obama said he would overturn Bush's directive "through executive order," and "ensure that all research on stem cells is conducted ethically and with rigorous oversight." John Podesta, head of Obama's transition team, said people should expect that Obama's pledges about stem cell research "will be fulfilled" when the president-elect takes office (AP/Google.com, 11/23). According to the AP/Austin American-Statesman, enacting new legislation would be a "stronger step" for Obama than overturning Bush's executive order on embryonic stem cell research because "no future president could undo it without an act of Congress" (Espo, AP/Austin American-Statesman, 11/23).

Rep. Joe Pitts (R-Pa.) said he does not know how the next Congress would vote on embryonic stem cell research, adding that it is "very possible" that opponents of such research could "lose" the debate about overturning Bush's restrictions. Pitts added that opponents will "continually fight" new legislation and "offer the ethical alternative" to embryonic stem cell research. According to the AP/Google.com, opponents of embryonic stem cell research offer several arguments for their cause, including the belief that life begins at conception and the claim that adult stem cell research allows for the "biggest scientific breakthroughs." David Prentice, senior fellow at the Family Research Council, said his group will "talk about the real facts that it's the adult stem cells providing the actual treatments." Wendy Wright, president of Concerned Women for America, added that "some remarkable scientific discoveries" have occurred over the past seven years, "which really should have made the issue of federal funding of embryonic stem cell research moot."

Chi Dang, professor of medicine at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, agreed that progress has been made with adult stem cells but added that it is unclear whether these cells could be used to the same extent as embryonic stem cells. Dang said that assuming adult stem cells have the same degree of flexibility as embryonic stem cells "would be cornering ourselves into generalizing things that may not be true." Sean Tipton, director of public affairs at the American Society for Reproductive Medicine said it is "a little disingenuous" for opponents to "cite a lack of progress" on embryonic stem cell research during the ban on federal funding, because it would be similar to "hold[ing] someone at the starting line" and then "criticiz[ing] them for not getting very far." According to Samuel Pfaff, professor at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, the "long-term trajectory" for research is "to understand embryonic stem cells so well that we don't have to use them anymore" (AP/Google.com, 11/23).

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