Ballot Proposal Language To Modify Missouri Amendment Protecting Embryonic Stem Cell Research In State Could Bias Voters, Opponents Say

Main Category: Stem Cell Research
Also Included In: Women's Health / Gynecology
Article Date: 15 Oct 2007 - 2:00 PDT


The group Cures Without Cloning on Wednesday said that Missouri Secretary of State Robin Carnahan (D) has written an inaccurate summary of the group's proposal to modify a state constitutional amendment that protects human embryonic stem cell research, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports (Franck, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 10/11).

The Missouri Stem Cell Research and Cures Initiative, which was approved by Missouri voters in November 2006, ensures that stem cell research permitted under federal law is protected in the state and prohibits human cloning. It also allows stem cell research that involves somatic cell nuclear transfer, which some opponents consider a type of human cloning. Somatic cell nuclear transfer is conducted by inserting the genetic material from a patient's cell -- usually from a skin cell -- into an unfertilized egg from another person. The patient's genetic material incorporates into the egg and causes it to develop into an embryo that is a genetic match to the skin cell patient.

Cures Without Cloning in August filed a ballot proposal with Carnahan for the November 2008 election that would create a new definition of cloning to ban somatic cell nuclear transfer and bar tax dollars from funding research using techniques prohibited by the definition (Kaiser Daily Women's Health Policy Report, 8/29). The proposal would include in the cloning definition attempts to "create a human embryo at any stage, which shall include the one-cell stage onward, by any means other than fertilization of a human egg by a human sperm."

Ballot Summary Language, Reaction
The ballot summary prepared by the secretary of state's office says the proposal would "repeal the current ban on human cloning" and "limit patients' access to stem cell research, therapies and cures approved by voters in November 2006" by redefining the cloning ban to criminalize some procedures that currently are allowed. Cures Without Cloning spokesperson Curt Mercadante said that the word "repeal" is misleading and objected to the section about limiting patients' access to treatments. "In no way does it accurately reflect what's actually in the [proposal]," Mercadante said, adding, "We are currently not trying to repeal a ban on human cloning, we're attempting to make it so that the Missouri Constitution prohibits all human cloning."

Carnahan's chief of staff, Mindy Mazur, said, "We are absolutely confident that the summary language for this initiative is fair and accurate and reflects how the constitution would be changed if this initiative got on the ballot and was passed." The Missouri Coalition for Lifesaving Cures, which sponsored the 2006 amendment, said Wednesday that it still was reviewing the ballot summary. Donn Rubin, chair of the coalition, in a written statement said the group "continues to urge Missourians to reject the misguided efforts to repeal the voter-approved stem cell amendment."

Challenges to a ballot summary must be made in Cole County, Mo., Circuit Court within 10 days of the secretary of state's approval of the language, the AP/Joplin Globe reports (AP/Joplin Globe, 10/10).

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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