Newspapers Examine Election Issues Related To Embryonic Stem Cell Research

Main Category: Stem Cell Research
Article Date: 22 Oct 2008 - 11:00 PDT

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The Boston Globe on Saturday examined the positions of presidential candidates Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Barack Obama' (D-Ill.) on embryonic stem cell research, a field scientists say is in need of federal support to move developments from "promising early stages to the next level." Although embryonic stem cell research has not been a major issue in this year's presidential campaign, the mention of the topic in recent political advertisements and last week's presidential debate has placed the "potentially revolutionary field of scientific research into the political spotlight once again," the Globe reports. 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 (Johnson, Boston Globe, 10/18). 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. Both Obama and McCain voted for the bills (Daily Women's Health Policy Report, 9/25). Sen. Obama has said that he would overturn the federal ban if elected. Senator McCain has also said he would overturn the ban, a position that goes against the Republican Party platform. According to the Globe, although "some have questioned whether [McCain's] position has shifted" since selecting running mate Gov. Sarah Palin (Alaska), who opposes embryonic stem cell research, McCain spokesperson Brian Rogers said last week that the senator's position has not changed (Boston Globe, 10/18).

Michigan Proposal

In related news, the Detroit News on Monday reported on Proposal 2, an initiative on the state's November ballot that would amend the state constitution to allow researchers to create new stem cell lines from embryos originally created for fertility treatments and willingly donated by patients. Opponents of the measure say the language of the amendment is overly broad and could lead to unregulated research on human cloning. According to Cure Michigan, the group sponsoring the initiative, the measure would uphold the state's ban on human cloning. Cure Michigan spokesperson Chris DeWitt said, "All forms of cloning are currently illegal, punishable by a $10 million fine and 10 years in jail and that will remain in place" if the amendment passes.

The News also profiled a Michigan couple who would like to donate embryos leftover from in-vitro fertilization procedures to embryonic stem cell research (Kozlowski, Detroit News, 10/20).

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