Mass. Health Panel Unanimously Votes To Overturn Regulations On Embryonic Stem Cell Research

Main Category: Stem Cell Research
Also Included In: Women's Health / Gynecology
Article Date: 15 Oct 2007 - 0:00 PDT

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The Massachusetts Public Health Council, which was appointed by Gov. Deval Patrick (D), recently voted unanimously to overturn restrictions on human embryonic stem cell research, claiming that they undermine a 2005 law (SB 2039) aimed at encouraging stem cell research in the state, the Boston Globe reports (Smith, Boston Globe, 10/11).

The 2005 law that was affected by the regulations took effect after the state Legislature overrode a veto by former Gov. Mitt Romney, who is running for the Republican presidential nomination. The law allows human cloning for research purposes and bans human cloning for the purpose of reproduction. The regulations, which were adopted in August 2006, prohibit creating a fertilized embryo with only the intent of "using" the embryo, while the law prohibits creating embryos with only the intent of "donating" it. Harvard University and several state research centers and hospitals have said the regulations could expose scientists to criminal penalties for conducting certain research activities (Kaiser Daily Women's Health Policy Report, 9/1/06). The council on Wednesday altered the regulation's language by striking the word "using" and replacing it with a reference to the ban against creating embryos specifically for donation to researchers.

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"It's important for us to be as competitive as possible and allow research to occur," Carol Cox, a member of the council, said, adding, "Changing that one sentence seems to make a world of difference for people doing the research." Patrick in a statement said the state's "leadership in life sciences, as well as our opportunity to grow this economy, depends on eliminating unnecessary barriers like these."

Mildred Jefferson, president of Massachusetts Citizens for Life, said the council's action "casts a vote for the unethical scientific research and raises false hope of ill people desperately seeking cures by suggesting to them that their future treatment lies in embryonic stem cell research." Kevin Casey, director of governmental affairs for Harvard, said that the university hopes that "now there may be an appetite to review the whole concept of the prohibition" of donating embryos for stem cell research (Boston Globe, 10/11).

Reprinted with kind permission from http://www.kaisernetwork.org. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at http://www.kaisernetwork.org/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork.org, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation© 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.

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