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> Subject: President Bush consults with bioethicists about stem cell research > From: Murray Charters <[log in to unmask]> > Date: Tue, 10 Jul 2001 20:43:19 -0700 President Bush consults with bioethicists about stem cell research The Associated Press WASHINGTON (July 10, 6:15 p.m. PDT) - A group of bioethicists met privately with President Bush on Tuesday as he tried to sort through competing questions of the science and morality of embryonic stem cell research. The Oval Office meeting, whose participants the White House would not individually identify, was the latest in a series of consultations the president has conducted "with the least fanfare, allowing for the most thoughtful conversations," press secretary Ari Fleischer said. He described Tuesday's group as "some of the leading thinkers on issues of ethics and science." Bush has also met privately in recent days with anti-abortion activists staunchly opposed to the research and with groups representing disease sufferers who believe stem cells hold the key to medical breakthroughs on such medical enigmas as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. "The president continues to meet with people with varying opinions and perspectives on this issue and will do so until he feels comfortable to make a decision," said White House adviser Dan Bartlett. Since 1996, the government has banned federal funding of research that would harm, damage or destroy human embryos. Bush has promised a decision soon on whether he will reverse the Clinton administration's policy of allowing federal money to pay for research on stem cells from surplus embryos discarded by fertility clinics - as long as the cells were extracted from embryos by researchers not receiving federal funds. SOURCE: The Sacramento Bee http://24hour.sacbee.com/24hour/politics/story/627539p-673604c.html * * * ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn