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>Subject: NYTimes.com Article: Bush Won't Fund Stem Cell Research
>Date: Fri, 26 Jan 2001 21:05:00 -0500 (EST)
>
>This article from NYTimes.com
>
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>Bush Won't Fund Stem Cell Research
>http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/national/AP-Bush-Abortion.html
>
>January 26, 2001
>
>By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
>
>
>
>Filed at 6:20 p.m. ET
>
>WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Bush said Friday that federal money
>should not be used for research on fetal tissue or on so-called
>stem cells derived from abortions, the week-old administration's
>third statement on the divisive abortion issue.
>
>``I do not support research from aborted fetuses,'' Bush said.
>
>He
>did not say whether he would move to block federal research funding
>-- an act that many scientists say could stop promising research
>into therapies for numerous diseases. Aides said afterward he was
>signaling his intent to do so.
>
>Bush had indicated his opposition to such research during the
>presidential campaign, but the remarks Friday were his first on the
>topic since taking over the White House a week ago.
>
>``I will let you know when I decide all policy decisions, but the
>answer to your question is no,'' Bush said when asked whether he
>believes federal money should be spent on fetal-tissue and
>stem-cell research from abortions.
>
>After a presidential campaign in which anti-abortion conservatives
>were a cornerstone of his support, Bush moved on Monday, two days
>into his presidency, to restore restrictions on U.S. foreign aid to
>family-planning organizations involved in abortion. His
>administration also promised a review of the government's approval
>of the RU-486 abortion pill.
>
>Scientists say research with stem cells, master cells that are the
>building blocks for all other tissue in the body, could lead to
>revolutionary treatments for problems from Alzheimer's to
>paralyzing spinal cord injuries.
>
>Stem cells can come from aborted fetuses or from embryos left over
>from fertility clinics. A few also can be found from adult tissues,
>but scientists say fetal and embryonic stem cells are the most
>flexible and thus most usable.
>
>Bush did not specifically address embryonic stem cells.
>
>Some
>conservative groups oppose using embryonic stem cells for research
>because culling them kills the embryos. Scientists now know how to
>multiply embryonic stem cells in laboratories without killing
>additional embryos. Unless Bush intervenes, the National Institutes
>of Health plans to begin funding research with just those lab-grown
>embryonic stem cells as early as this spring.
>
>Some researchers are concerned that Bush might cut off existing
>funding for a larger type of research related to tissues from
>induced abortions. Some Parkinson's disease patients, for instance,
>improved after receiving fetal tissue transplants in their brains.
>
>Bush has said in the past he supports an alternative method using
>fetal tissues retrieved from miscarriages. But scientists say such
>tissue is seldom usable because of genetic abnormalities in the
>fetus that caused the miscarriage.
>
>``I believe there's some wonderful opportunities for adult
>stem-cell research,'' Bush said. ``I believe we can find stem cells
>from fetuses that died a natural death, but I do not support
>research from aborted fetuses.''
>
>He commented in a question-and-answer session during a meeting with
>Democratic and Republican governors.
>
>Shortly before Bush took office, his spokesman refused to address
>whether the new Republican administration would shut down
>government research on the stem cells of discarded human embryos.
>
>Press secretary Ari Fleischer, quoting his boss' statements during
>the campaign, said Friday that Bush ``would oppose federally funded
>research for experimentation on embryonic stem cells that require
>live human embryos to be discarded or destroyed.''
>
>But Fleischer, questioned by reporters, would not say whether Bush
>intends to block the NIH, which is now accepting grant applications
>for research on lab-grown embryonic stem cells initially harvested
>by private researchers.
>
>Bush stopped short Friday of saying whether or how he might block
>the NIH funding.
>
>Incoming Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson has
>likewise sidestepped the issue. But as an anti-abortion governor of
>Wisconsin, Thompson praised as medical pioneers the University of
>Wisconsin scientists who first grew embryonic stem cells in their
>laboratory.
>
>The White House is reviewing all rules and executive orders
>implemented by the Clinton administration, including those on
>abortion-related research.
>
>^------
>
>On the Net:
>
>NIH stem cell primer:
>http://www.nih.gov/news/stemcell/primer.htm
>
>National Library of Medicine site with information and current news
>on stem cell research:
>http://medlineplus.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/stemcellsstemcelltranspla ntation.
>
>html
>
>The New York Times on the Web
>http://www.nytimes.com
>
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