Monsters in Disguise: Hidden Stem Cell Funding Prohibition
by diverdonreed
Fri Apr 20, 2007 at 05:35:48 AM PDT
Like monsters in a pleasant guise, the so-called "Hope Acts" appear
reasonable, but are deadly dangerous, containing permanent prohibitions
against funding for embryonic stem cell research.
The Bush White House helped to write the "Hope Act", which fooled many
Senators, who thought they were signing a harmless law...
THE CRYSTAL HORDE, AND THE BUSH-APPROVED "HOPE" ACTS
I remember being terrified once by a book called "The Crystal Horde" by John
Taine.
The title entity was visually beautiful: what is more lovely than crystal?
Shimmering, exquisite, capturing and refracting light, bright as diamonds...
But it was a monster.
Those crystal spikes and slivers were piercing swords of living glass,
advancing, growing, enhancing-and killing, feeding off humans, destroying
everyone in its path.
It grew in the dark, until it was so huge and powerful it no longer needed
to hide.
Its true threat was revealed.
Similarly, the misleadingly-titled "Hope Acts" seem at first very moderate
and reasonable, but are in fact designed to block embryonic stem cell
research funding.
There are two so far: the "Hope Offered through Principled and Ethical Stem
Cell Research Act"  (S 30/Coleman, Isakson) and its clone, the "Florida Hope
Offered through Principled and Ethical Stem Cell Research Act"-unless
defeated, there will be more.
Presented as a moderate alternative to the Stem Cell research Enhancement
Act, the "Hope Act" is in fact a permanent restriction-supported by the Bush
Administration, which helped write it.
It fooled a lot of good people in the Senate, who did not have time to fully
examine it, and believed it was a harmless bill.
It must be defeated in the House, or the President will surely sign it into
law.

The Florida version was sold as a way to pay for adult stem cell research,
$20 million a year (and restrictions, banning embryonic stem cell research
funding from the state)-but then the money was taken away, so only the
restrictions remain.
Stealing the language of good research, and sold as a moderate compromise,
these deceptive legislations are the enemy at its most deadly.
The enemies of research know they are losing. America has made up her mind.
We want the research to move forward.
The opposition's only hope is win by deception, to advance their
anti-research agenda in the guise of attractive words and seeming
compromise, hiding the spikes and poison, to rush restrictions through
before we understand, before we can rally, and defend.
All that is required to defeat this real-life "Crystal Horde" is that we
fully understand the bill, and make sure our leaders share that
understanding.
Contrary to its grossly misleading title, the "Hope Act" (S 30, Coleman,
Isakson) would impose a devastating and permanent ban on federal funding of
new embryonic stem cell research, including Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer
(SCNT) therapies.
The bill would codify permanent change in what stem cell research may be
federally funded. Prior to this bill, similar language had to be approved
every year- under the Dickey Amendment-now those provisions would be fixed
in law.
Take a look at it, up close. Here is a short version, combining the actual
language, with some explanatory commentary.
Below are relevant portions: commentary (embedded) in CAPITAL LETTERS.
110th CONGRESS, 1st Session, S. 30, In the House of Representatives, April
16, 2007...This Act may be cited as the `Hope Offered through Principled and
Ethical Stem Cell Research Act' or the `HOPE Act'.
Part H of title IV of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 289 et seq.)
is amended (Note: THIS IS THE SECTION OF FEDERAL LAW GOVERNING WHAT FORMS OF
STEM CELL RESEARCH MAY BE FUNDED BY THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT) by inserting
after section 498C the following:
`SEC. 498D. HUMAN PLURIPOTENT STEM CELL RESEARCH.
`(a) ... The Secretary shall conduct and support basic and applied research
to develop techniques for the isolation, derivation, production, or testing
of stem cells...provided that (it) will not involve-
`(1) the creation of a human embryo or embryos for research purposes;
(emphasis added--THIS SECTION BANS FUNDING FOR SCNT, AS LATER SPECIFIED IN
THE BILL) or
`(2) the destruction or discarding of, or risk of injury to, a human embryo
or embryos other than those that are naturally dead. (emphasis added-THIS
SECTION BANS FUNDING FOR THE CURRENT METHOD MAKING NEW STEM CELL LINES FROM
IN VITRO FERTILITY-DONATED BLASTOCYSTS)...
`(b) Guidelines ... the Secretary... shall issue final guidelines that--
`(1) provide guidance concerning the next steps required for additional
research... (POLITICIANS MAKING SCIENTIFIC DECISIONS)
`(2) prioritize research with the greatest potential for near-term clinical
benefit; (THIS COULD "LEGITIMIZE" THE CONTINUED OVERWHELMING EMPHASIS ON
ADULT STEM CELL RESEARCH)
`(3) consistent with standards established under subsection (a), take into
account techniques outlined by the President's Council on Bioethics (THE
PRESIDENT'S COUNCIL IS COMPOSED  ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY OF ANTI-EMBRYONIC STEM
CELL RESEARCH INDIVIDUALS) and any other appropriate techniques and
research; and
`(4) in the case of research involving stem cells from a naturally dead
embryo, require assurances from grant applicants that no alteration of the
timing, methods, or procedures used to create, maintain, or intervene in the
development of a human embryo was made solely for the purpose of deriving
the stem cells. (SCIENTISTS HAVE ALREADY EXPRESSED DOUBTS ON THE USEFULNESS
OF SUCH "DEAD" BLASTOCYSTS.)
...
`(d) Rule of Construction- Nothing in this section shall be construed as
altering the policy in effect on the date of enactment of this section
regarding the eligibility of stem cell lines for funding by the National
Institutes of Health. (THIS ALLOWS THE EXTREMELY LIMITED BUSH POLICY TO
CONTINUE)...
`(2) HUMAN EMBRYO OR EMBRYOS- The term `human embryo or embryos' includes
any organism, not protected as a human subject under part 46 of title 45,
Code of Federal Regulations, as of the date of enactment of this section,
that is derived by fertilization, parthenogenesis, cloning, or any other
means from one or more human gametes or human diploid cells. (emphasis
added). THIS DEFINITION PLACES A FALSE INTERPRETATION INTO LAW: SCNT DERIVES
STEM CELLS THROUGH AN EMPTY EGG LIKE A WOMAN LOSES EVERY MONTH, AND A SKIN
CELL: THERE IS NO SPERM, NO IMPLANTATION IN THE WOMB, NO WOMB, AND NO
POSSIBLE INFANT-BUT IF THE CELLS DERIVING FROM SCNT CAN BE LEGALLY DEFINED
AS AN EMBRYO, THE RESEARCH COULD NEVER BE FUNDED BY THIS ACT.
`(3) RISK OF INJURY- The term `risk of injury' means subjecting a human
embryo or embryos to risk of injury or death greater than that allowed for
research on fetuses in utero under section 46.204(b) of title 45, Code of
Federal Regulations, and section 498(b) of this Act.'.-(HERE WE HAVE
POSSIBLE LEGAL PRECEDENT THAT A BLASTOCYST HAS LEGAL PROTECTION EQUIVALENT
TO A FETUS-IF CELLS CAN BE GIVEN FULL HUMAN STATUS, ALL OF EMBRYONIC STEM
CELL RESEARCH COULD BE CRIMINALIZED.)
(a) In General- The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall enter into
a contract with the Institute of Medicine for the conduct of a study to
recommend an optimal structure for an amniotic and placental stem cell bank
program ... (THIS IS THE HARMLESS PORTION OF THE BILL, WHICH IS USUALLY
CITED, WITHOUT MENTIONING THE ABOVE RESTRICTIONS).
Fortunately, we can now see what the enemies of research are up to, and can
organize accordingly, working with our leaders to defeat their plans.
In the book, Earth united to defeat the fictional "crystal horde" .
And so must we, working together to protect real hope by defeating its
counterfeit.
Here, for example, is a letter from the Coalition for the Advancement of
Medical Research about the Florida "Hope Act".
Senate President Ken Pruitt
Florida Senate
The Capitol, Suite 409
404 South Monroe Street
Tallahassee, FL  32399-1100
Via Facsimile:  1-888-263-7895
Dear Senate President:
I am writing on behalf of the Coalition for the Advancement of Medical
Research (CAMR) regarding legislation currently before the Florida State
Legislature.  CAMR represents the voices of patients, scientists, physicians
and academic institutions across the country in the debate over stem cell
research and the future of regenerative medicine.  We have grassroots
members from patient and other advocacy organizations in every state in the
nation, including Florida.
We join with patient groups, leading scientists, the National Academy of
Sciences, and a large majority of the American people in wanting to provide
hope to the millions of Americans who suffer from diseases for which there
is no cure or even adequate treatments.  However, despite its name, the
"Florida Hope Offered through Principled, Ethically Sound Stem Cell Research
Act," (HB 1065/S 2496) will not offer that needed hope.  The provision in
this bill which specifically prohibits funds under this program from being
used in embryonic stem cell research would mean a virtual prohibition on
state-funded embryonic stem cell research in Florida.  While our coalition
and all the members it represents are supportive of all forms of stem cell
research, we strongly agree with the overwhelming opinion of scientific
experts in this field that to eliminate embryonic from the funded research
opportunities would be eliminating the most promising form of research that
we have at this time. For this reason, CAMR strongly opposes HB 1065.
In contrast, we do support in the principle behind HB 555/SB 750.  For as
long as this country's researchers are struggling to pursue promising
scientific research under the limitations imposed by the federal policy, we
are supportive of state efforts that seek to fund promising regenerative
medicine research projects that might, but for the President's restrictive
policy, be funded by the federal government.
Sincerely,
Sean Tipton
President

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