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Daily News - Philadelphia Monday, June 18, 2001 Editorial Politics vs: Science in White House Stem Cell Research Could Aid in War on Disease Last summer, we applauded the National Institutes of Health decision to allow federally funded scientists to work on stem cells taken from human embryos. Because virtually any kind of cell - muscle, fat, even nerve - can grow from them, stem cells could lead to effective new treatments for Parkinson's disease, spinal cord injuries and a variety of other conditions, including Alzheimer's. The NIH policy, signed by President Bill Clinton, was a balanced one that responsibly addressed the ethical issues involved. Stem cells would come only from embryos, destined to be discarded, that are obtained in fertility clinics by mixing sperm and eggs. The policy also placed stringent constraints on who could remove the stem cells, would forbid profiteering by the couple in question or other relatives, would identify the source of the embryo, and would require oversight by four different committees during the review process. Unfortunately, these constraints were not enough for the Bush administration. Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson has suspended the guidelines pending further review. Thompson has promised to decide by this summer whether to permit such research to continue. As is increasingly common with the Bush administration, science and politics are at odds. Many groups have approved the research (subject to reasonable conditions), and 80 Nobel laureates have asked the president to continue funding embryonic cell research. Yet, the recommendations are being held hostage by Bush adviser Karl Rove. No expert on the science or the ethics of the issue, Rove worries only about the reaction of Bush's conservative base and the anti-abortion forces. Selfishly, the Bush team values those votes over the well-being of others. Also a neophyte on these matters, Bush has said he would not object if the stem cells were taken from adults. Of course, this is unlikely to be very helpful since most scientists doubt that adult cells have the same versatility. NIH adopted a sensible policy on stem cell research. Let's hope that political considerations don't lead instead to one that is, in effect, pro-Parkinson's, pro-paraplegia, pro-Alzheimer's. * http://dailynews.philly.com/content/daily_news/2001/06/18/opinion/EDT A18E.htm ********* ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn