government
Plaintiffs in stem cell research lawsuit file appeal
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted Oct. 10, 2011
Opponents of embryonic stem cell research are challenging a district court opinion allowing the government to continue funding the research.
Chief Judge Royce C. Lamberth of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia on July 27 dismissed Sherley v. Sebelius, which argued that federal law prohibits the Dept. of Health and Human Services from funding any research that results in the destruction of human embryos. The debate started in August 2010, when Lamberth issued a preliminary ban against the funding.
The ban forced the National Institutes of Health to freeze funding temporarily for about 50 grants. But the injunction was halted in September 2010 and overturned in April 2011 by a three-judge appeals court panel, leading to the July dismissal by Lamberth.
The lawsuit's plaintiffs, which include the Christian Medical and Dental Assns., on Sept. 19 appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia seeking another attempt to block the funding.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2011/10/10/gvbf1010.htm.
