Time to expand stem cell research

As the momentum for the expansion of embryonic stem cell research grows, President Bush is faced with a tough question. Is this the bill that will trigger his first veto after four years and four months in office?

Rather than answer the question, the White House and some members of Congress are trying to create a diversion. The House of Representatives has passed an alternative bill that would establish a blood bank of discarded umbilical cords for use in stem cell research. But many researchers note that umbilical and embryonic stem cells are not interchangeable. While scientists hope one day to coax more uses from umbilical cords, currently they can only reliably produce components of blood.

Researchers have found that embryonic stem cells are more versatile and more likely to adapt to whatever use is desired. They would like to have access to embryos that are leftover from fertility clinics.

In 2001, President Bush limited funding for such research to the number of lines purported to be in existence. Since then, many opponents of federal funding have changed their minds, and the House on Tuesday passed a bill that would allow federal funding for expanded research on embryonic stem cells. Support for the bill is bipartisan and includes several anti-abortion politicians.

The bill now heads to the Senate, where support is also strong. Many political observers note that the margin of victory in the House was not veto-proof and that the president will probably sign the umbilical cord bill, veto the other and declare a victory for expanded research.

If that’s the strategy, scientists and others who hope to find cures for such diseases as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and juvenile diabetes won’t be joining the celebration. Instead, they will bemoan the current situation that leaves them saddled with the 21 allowable stem cell lines that are contaminated by animal cells or reliant on private funding for more promising lines.

The United States is already in jeopardy of falling hopelessly behind other countries that fund embryonic stem cell research. A South Korean researcher recently announced a stunning breakthrough in therapeutic cloning. We can no longer afford to allow politics to stand in the way of progress in this promising field.

The current bill would make embryos at fertility clinics available for research, and it includes three responsible provisions. The donor must approve, the donor cannot profit and the embryos must be limited to those that would’ve been discarded anyway.

If the president wants to announce a true victory for research, he will sign this bill, too.