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July 9, 2001 Group wants stem cell research allowed By Dana Beyerle Montgomery Bureau July 7, 2001 MONTGOMERY -- A Birmingham-based medical organization is mounting an effort to persuade President Bush to lift the ban on stem cell research at facilities that receive federal money. Opponents of such a move liken the embryos to human beings, not just cells split from a fertilized egg, and have been urging Bush to continue the ban. Bush is reviewing the advisability of continuing the ban and could be hearing from a proponent of stem cell research, the American Society of Reproductive Medicine, headquartered in Birmingham. "We are mounting significant pressure on them to allow this type of research,'' ASRM spokesman Sean Tipton said this week. Lifting the ban could affect Alabama medical research facilities such as the research hospital at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and the medical school at the University of South Alabama. "This is the kind of research that would be done at UAB, but we don't because of the federal financing and because of the moral issue,'' said Greg Pence, a medical ethicist and professor of philosophy and medicine at UAB. "Our hands are tied.'' UAB Hospital spokesman Hank Black said he's unaware of stem cell research currently being done in Alabama. USA spokesman Keith Ayers said USA also receives federal funds. Stem cell research involves the use of basic cells from embryos left over from fertilization at in-vitro clinics. Stem cells can be triggered into growing other cells such as heart cells to replace cells killed by a heart attack or new parts of a pancreas to cure diabetes, Tipton said. Stem cell research also involves the use of cells from the blood and bone marrow of adults, which does not involve reproduction. "This is so new that only a few places will probably be providing any source tissue,'' he said. "The question is will government funded researchers be able to do investigations in embryonic stem cells?'' The ASRM was founded in 1944 and has 8,500 members nationwide and in about 50 countries, Tipton said. The organization is privately funded and operates on a $12 million budget. Its members include obstetricians and gynecologists and others who specialize in infertility and reproductive medical care. "Right now, the research is privately funded,'' Tipton said. Two leading centers are at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore and a group affiliated with the University of Wisconsin in Madison. Tipton said he believes the federal government should fund the research in order to control it. "One other point is, I think people who do have ethical concerns, to make sure it has ethical review, is to use federal money because the oversight will not be present in private research,'' he said. John Giles, president of the Alabama chapter of the Christian Coalition, said the national organization is weighing in on the issue, but his organization has not become involved because the issue is too new. Birmingham lawyer Eric Johnston, who is affiliated with the Alabama Pro-Life Coalition, and is involved in religious legal issues at the Southeast Law Institute, said he's been looking at stem cell research. "It's still being developed,'' he said. State Rep. Bob McKee, R-Montgomery, said he can't recall legislation regarding stem cell research, but believes it may be necessary in the future because UAB is on the cutting edge of many medical services. Dana Beyerle can be reached at (334) 264-6605 or [log in to unmask] http://www.timesdaily.com/news/stories/6722newsstories.html * * * ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn