The AACR (American Association for Cancer Research) has expressed concern that a recent Federal District Court injunction to stop federal funding for human embryonic stem cell research is a serious obstacle for scientific discovery. The AACR reiterates its support for responsible conduct of human embryonic stem cell research, which up to this week was funded by the NIH (National Institutes of Health.

Margaret Foti, Ph.D., M.D. (h.c.), chief executive officer of the AACR, said:

As stated in our 2005 policy statement on stem cell research, we believe that reasonable, ethical stem cell exploration is a crucial component of scientific discovery. Human embryonic stem cell research may lead to new biological insights that offer avenues for the development of promising new therapies for cancer patients. This decision will slow the important research that has the potential to save lives from cancer and will significantly affect the ability of the United States to be a leader in this cutting-edge field of science.

Elizabeth H. Blackburn, Ph.D., Nobel laureate and president of the AACR, said:

We believe the NIH’s human embryonic stem cell research policies are sound, ethical, and responsible. Stem cell research is part of a multifaceted approach to understand the biology of cancer and develop new ways to combat the 200 diseases collectively called ‘cancer.’ It is disconcerting that the scientists who were given the opportunity to pursue important research questions through the investigation of stem cells, not their creation, have now been stopped in their tracks.

AACR says it is grateful to the NIH for its considerable efforts to ensure that embryonic stem cell research, like all NIH research, is conducted in a “manner consistent with established ethical principles”. On August 23rd a Federal District Court issued a temporary ban on federal funding for embryonic stem cell research. Stem cell research is a light of hope for millions of Americans and scores of millions of people globally with debilitating and possibly fatal diseases, including heart disease and diabetes. The National Institutes of Health says it will not review grant applications involving stem cell research, and similar grants that are to be renewed will not be funded – because of the court injunction.

The Endocrine Society says it is re-issuing its 2009 Position Statement which calls for an increase in NIH funding for stem cell research. It also calls for an expansion in the scope of funding to include promising yet neglected areas of stem cell research.

The Endocrine Society, in a press release today, says it supports the following positions:

  • More NIH funding for stem cell research
  • More embryonic stem cell lines for NIH funded research
  • A broadening of the scope of federally funded research to include cells generated through somatic cell nuclear transfer
  • Federal funding for the derivation of embryonic stem cells from discarded IVF (in vitro fertilization) embryos and through somatic cell nuclear transfer
  • Adherence to the highest ethical and scientific research standards
  • Federal oversight of embryonic stem cell research to assure ethical standards are always met

Embryonic stem cells can be induced to become any type of cell in the body, such as cells with specific functions – some can turn into insulin-producing cells, while others can become beating cells of the heart. Stem cell research has enormous potential to cure devastating illnesses, such as Alzheimer’s disease, AIDS, diseases of the nervous system, heart disease and diabetes.

President Bush imposed federal funding restrictions which limited the use of human embryonic stem cells in 2001. On March, 2009 President Obama signed Executive Order 13505 overturning the restrictions.

Sources: The Endocrine Society, AACR (American Association for Cancer Research)

Written by Christian Nordqvist