Government
Frist wants more federal dollars for embryonic stem cell research
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted Aug. 15, 2005
Drawing support from former First Lady Nancy Reagan and a number of groups that raise money to find cures for diseases, and drawing criticism from groups such as the Christian Medical & Dental Assn. and anti-abortion organizations, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, MD (R, Tenn.), on July 29 announced his support for more government-funded embryonic stem cell research.
Dr. Frist said that he supports a bill that includes a strong ethical and scientific oversight mechanism and one that allows the government to pay for research on human embryos created for fertility treatments but no longer needed. The embryos also would need to be slated to be discarded or destroyed, and those who received the fertility treatments must give their written consent for the research.
His support is likely to garner enough votes to pass a Senate bill that would ease funding restrictions put in place in 2001. A similar bill has already passed in the House, but at press time it was unclear whether it could pass either chamber by the two-thirds majority needed to overcome a presidential veto.
Bush's current policy only allows federal dollars to be used on embryonic stem cell lines created on or before Aug. 9, 2001.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2005/08/15/gvbf0815.htm.
