Government
Stem cell research debated
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted Aug. 23, 2004
Presidential candidate John Kerry took aim earlier this month at the Bush administration's stance on federal funding for stem cell research. He questioned the president's commitment to science. Sen. Kerry (D, Mass.) said that if elected, he would lift the ban on federal funding for research using stem cell lines established after Aug. 9, 2001. Since that deadline, more than 100 stem cell lines have been developed, and many of them are considered to be of better quality than the earlier lines.
First lady Laura Bush defended the president's policy. She said the administration is generously supporting research using the existing stem cell lines. In a statement, Dept. of Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson said, "Before anyone can successfully argue that the existing federal stem cell policy needs to be broadened, we must first exhaust the potential of the stem cell lines made available within the policy."
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2004/08/23/gvbf0823.htm.
