FROM: kaisernetwork.org Daily Reports. Feb. 8, 2001 BIOETHICS & SCIENCE "Red Cross Rejects First-Ever Federal Grant Devoted to Embryonic Stem Cell Research, Citing Shift in Research Priorities In an "unexpected twist," the American Red Cross yesterday turned down what would have been the first federal grant to fund embryonic stem cell research since President Bush's Aug. 9 decision to allow limited federal funding for the research, the Los Angeles Times reports. After the NIH approved the $50,000 grant, the Red Cross declined to accept the funding, citing "new scientific priorities." Red Cross leukemia researcher Robert Hawley had applied for the grant last summer to study the production of blood stem cells. Jerry Squires, American Red Cross' chief scientific officer, denied that the decision was an attempt to "avoid controversy that might scare away donors," the Times reports (Zitner, Los Angeles Times, 2/8). The Red Cross instead plans to focus on research involving umbilical cord cells, which have already begun to be banked and used as replacements for bone marrow transplants. "We need to focus on what we can provide for our patients," Squires said. NIH Deputy Director of Extramural Research Wendy Baldwin called the grant approval "a significant action," although the Wall Street Journal says the Red Cross' rejection is a "bump in the road" for NIH. The agency said it plans to provide more than $4 million in funding for embryonic stem cell research in 2002 (Regalado, Wall Street Journal, 2/8). Reaction Anthony Mazzaschi, assistant vice president for biomedical research at the Association of American Medical Colleges, called the Red Cross' decision to reject a requested grant "unusual," adding that the "winds may have shifted at the Red Cross, but the needs of patients and researchers to cure disease have not." The decision has prompted several research groups to suggest that stem cell research is "too controversial" for some research institutions. "I think you can assume from this decision that the political debate has had a chilling effect on scientific pursuits," Sean Tipton, a spokesperson for the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, said, adding that "[i]f you depend on funding from the goodwill of politicians or the goodwill of the public, then you stay away from controversy" (Los Angeles Times, 2/8)." -------------------------- Please come and visit our site for future daily reports, or sign up for our Email-Alert mailing list to automatically receive future reports at http://www.kaisernetwork.org/email Health Policy As It Happens http://www.kaisernetwork.org ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn