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NEWSDAY - EDITORIAL Blocking Breakthroughs That's the effect of Bush's freeze on federal funding for research on embryonic stem cells. In a fight pitting scientists exploring the incredible potential of embryonic stem cells vs. foes of abortion rights who want to ban federal funding for the research, President George W. Bush has lined up with the obstructionists. In a regrettably short-sighted directive, Bush has put a temporary hold on federal funding for research using stem cells extracted from human embryos. In doing so he invalidated the interpretation of the law laid out by President Bill Clinton's administration. True, Clinton officials relied on rather tortured logic to finesse the congressional funding prohibition. But it was the right thing to do, given the extraordinary promise of stem cell research in the pursuit of cures for diseases such as diabetes and Parkinson's, repairing injured spinal cords, and maybe even growing new organs. Bush should not let the politics of abortion impede this important medical research. Stem cells have the unique ability to grow into the many different types of tissues found throughout the body. Developing ways to use them to replace diseased or damaged tissue is cutting-edge research with the potential for real breakthroughs. Fueled by anti-abortion sentiments, Congress, in 1996, prohibited federal funding for any research in which embryos are knowingly destroyed or discarded. Clinton finessed that prohibition by allowing funding for research using stem cells, but not for actually harvesting the cells, which typically come from excess embryos preserved in fertility clinics across the country. Adult stem cells are used by some researchers, but they are limited in their ability to form different types of tissues. Before any federal stem cell research grants were approved, Bush put the Clinton policy on hold, directing officials at the Department of Health and Human Services to review the legal and scientific issues involved. Bush, who is opposed to abortion rights, set no deadline, but HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson, a proponent of stem cell research, said he hopes the review is completed by July. The sooner the better. The federal government should not starve this exciting research into oblivion. http://www.newsday.com/nd1/edits.htm ******* ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn