The Denver Post: Obama to Overturn Stem Cell Ban
Obama to Overturn Stem Cell Ban
Friday, March 6, 2009
By Michael Riley
WASHINGTON— President Barack Obama plans to sign an executive order Mondayreversing an 8-year-old restriction on the federal funding of stem-cellresearch, a congressional source said today.
Obama to Overturn Stem Cell Ban
Friday, March 6, 2009
By Michael Riley
WASHINGTON— President Barack Obama plans to sign an executive order Mondayreversing an 8-year-old restriction on the federal funding of stem-cellresearch, a congressional source said today.
Themove has been expected for weeks by researchers and disease sufferersafter Obama said during the campaign that he opposed the restrictions,which limit funding for research for all but a small number ofembryonic stem-cell lines.
Still,the move will mark the end of a long struggle by advocates of theresearch, who in years of emotional pleas before Congress and elsewherehave argued that the restrictions have prevented potentialbreakthroughs, prolonging the suffering of millions of people.
Obama's plans also are being reported by The Washington Post and the Associated Press.
TheDenver Post source, who asked not to be named because they wereunauthorized to speak on the topic by the White House, said theannouncement will be made in Washington on Monday.
TheWhite House ceremony, which is expected to take place just aftermid-day, will reverse a directive signed by President George W. Bush in2001. That directive was followed by a dramatic fall off in stem-cellresearch in the United States.
Sincethen, scientists in other countries have made the biggest breakthroughsusing stem cells to treat disease — including their use by Spanishdoctors to recently rebuild a patient's esophagus.
Butthe issue continues to be a political lightening rod in the UnitedStates, where critics oppose the use of powerful embryonic stem cells,which are seen as the most effective for potential treatment butdestroy the embryo when they are extracted.
KristoferEisenla, a spokesman for U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette, a Denver Democrat andthe leading congressional advocate for lifting the fundingrestrictions, would not confirm the White House move nor say whetherDeGette would attend the signing.
Withoutcommenting on reports of the signing, he released the followingstatement from DeGette: "An executive order by President Obama would bea tremendous leap forward in unlocking the potential cures to thousandsof diseases."
DeGettewas the primary architect of two bipartisan efforts — in 2005 and 2007— to reopen the flow of federal research dollars from agencies such asthe National Institutes of Health. Both bills were knocked down by Bushin the first and third vetoes of his presidency.
Eisenladid say that if Obama overturns the restrictions, the congresswomanmight still pursue a bill that would codify that into law. And she alsowas interested in an "uber stem-cell bill" that would address severaloutstanding concerns around stem-cell research, including establishingwith the NIH broad-based ethical guidelines for research that usesembryonic stem-cell lines.
"Alot people ask why we need embryonic when we could use skin stemcells," Eisenla said. "Many researchers have pointed out that the mostpromise has come from embryonic stem-cell research. CongresswomanDeGette believes part of the reason we should institute ethicaloversight is to ensure that scientists are overseeing this issue asopposed to politicians."