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These two articles are from Medscape : Neurology Med Pulse http://neurology.medscape.com go to: Neurology News Linda Political Uncertainty Is Deterring Stem Cell Research WASHINGTON (Reuters Health) May 02 - The unsettled questions surrounding federal funding of research using human embryonic stem cells is causing researchers to shy away from promising avenues, a leading scientist said Wednesday. "The political uncertainty about future funding of stem cell research is enough to turn off the tap of interest for young researchers in particular," said Dr. Douglas A. Melton, chairman of Harvard University's Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology. In a conference call with reporters Wednesday, Dr. Melton said he thinks the reason only a handful of researchers filed applications for federal funding of research using embryonic stem cells is that writing such an application takes "at least 2 to 3 months" and there is no promise that such an application would even be considered. Pending a scientific and ethical review, the Bush administration has put on hold guidelines issued last August allowing funding of such research in certain circumstances. Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson told a House Appropriations subcommittee Wednesday that he expects to make a decision in early June. But Lawrence Soler, of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and co-chair of the Coalition for the Advancement of Medical Research, which sponsored the conference call, said he is not convinced such a decision is forthcoming. "There's nothing restricting them from putting this on an indefinite hold and continuing the current situation," he said. Dr. Melton said that while he supports research using stem cells from adults, he remains convinced that both embryonic and adult cells need to be examined more closely. "My view is we are presently so ignorant of which cells are likely to be useful for treatment, both avenues should be aggressively pursued," he said. Opponents of the use of embryonic stem cells have said that destroying potential human life is unethical and that stem cells from other sources could be just as promising. Scientists Debate Human Cloning Policy WASHINGTON (Reuters Health) May 03 - Scientists, ethicists, and philosophers faced off on Wednesday at a Senate hearing over legislation that would ban not only the cloning of humans for reproductive purposes, but also the cloning of human embryos for research into treatments for a wide variety of conditions and diseases. Backers of the "Human Cloning Prohibition Act" told the Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Science, Technology and Space that to truly preclude cloning intended to produce a live birth, it is necessary to outlaw all forms of embryo cloning. "Because the transfer of embryos to begin a pregnancy is a simple procedure, and because any government effort to prevent transfer of an existing embryo, or to prevent birth once transfer has occurred, would raise substantial moral, legal, and practical issues, it will be nearly impossible to prevent attempts at 'reproductive cloning' once cloned human embryos are available in the laboratory," testified Rep. Dave Weldon, R-Fla., sponsor of the measure in the House. "An effective ban on human cloning must therefore stop the process at the beginning." Supporters of the bill also told the subcommittee that cloning embryos to obtain embryonic stem cells is itself unethical. "Cloning of a human embryo for research and medical purposes always results in the destruction, which is to say the death, of a human person," testified Robert Best, president of the Culture of Life Foundation. "Even if the goals of scientific research are commendable in terms of health needs of our citizens, they cannot be pursued by evil means, including the death of the 'least among us,' the human embryo," he said. Scientists told the subcommittee that such a broad ban could threaten potentially life-saving research. "Therapeutic cloning techniques are central to the production of breakthrough medicines, diagnostics and vaccines to treat Alzheimer's, diabetes, Parkinson's, heart attacks, various cancers and hundreds of other genetic diseases," testified Carl Feldbaum, president of the Biotechnology Industry Organization. "We all agree that given the current safety and social factors, human reproductive cloning is repugnant," he said. "However, it is critical that in our enthusiasm to prevent reproductive cloning, we not ban vital research, turning wholly legitimate biomedical researchers into outlaws, and thus squelching the hope for relief for millions of suffering individuals." ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn