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 FROM:
Associated Press Online
 September 25, 2002 Wednesday 2:08 PM Eastern Time
HEADLINE: Stem Cell Rules Spark Complaints
BYLINE: RANDOLPH E. SCHMID; Associated Press Writer
DATELINE: WASHINGTON

"   Advances in medical research are being hindered by federal rules
governing
 the use of embryonic stem cells, scientists told a Senate panel
Wednesday.

   Many researchers believe these cells could hold the key to solving
such
 diverse maladies as Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's, spinal cord
injuries and
 diabetes.

   However, President Bush, citing ethical concerns, restricted federal
funding
 for research on embryonic stem cells to 78 already existing cell lines.

   Gaining access to those limited cell lines has been inordinately
difficult,
 several researchers complained, citing costs, problems negotiating
agreements
 with the cells' owners and restrictions imposed by governments of
foreign
 countries, where many of the cells are located.

   Responding to the complaints, Dr. Elias Zerhouni, director of the
National
 Institutes of Health, said his agency is "diligently working with as
many
 sources as we can to make more cell lines available."

   Stem cells form very early in an embryo's development and later
differentiate
 into numerous types of cells to form various organs and other parts of
the body.
 Researchers hope to use these cells to repair damaged organs and cure
disease.
 But the 5-day-old embryo dies when the cells are removed and opponents
argue
 this is wrong.

   Dr. George Daley of the Whitehead Institute at Massachusetts Institute
of
 Technology said far fewer lines are available than the 78 cited by the
Bush
 administration, "perhaps only a handful."

   "The existing restrictions are keeping advances from being realized,"
Daley
 told the Senate Appropriations subcommittee on labor, health and human
services.

   Dr. Curt Civin of Johns Hopkins University told of months of
negotiations
 with the owners of cell lines in India, only to have the Indian
government step
 in and ban export of the cells.

   "More than a year after the decision (to allow research) I have yet to
 receive my first cell line," Civin said.

   Daley and Civin urged the NIH to establish a central facility to
collect and
 distribute the cell lines to researchers.

   Roger Pedersen of Cambridge University in England said the lack of
federal
 support for research on human embryos has "undoubtedly" delayed the
benefits of
 research to infertile patients and patients with degenerative diseases.

   Pedersen noted that he worked for 30 years at the University of
California,
 San Francisco, but moved to England because the government there
encourages stem
 cell research.

   Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., who said it may be time to consider
legislation to
 ease the research, asked Pedersen if other American scientists were
likely to
 leave the country to continue their work.

   "We are working diligently to recruit them," Pedersen replied.

   While Zerhouni said his agency is trying to make more cells available
to
 researchers, he contended the research is really in an early stage.

   Research in the past year has shown that embryonic stem cells "might
someday
 be used to treat Parkinson's disease, heart disease and type I
diabetes,"
 Zerhouni said.

   "These findings are important, but I continue to emphasize that we are
at a
 very early stage. Much more basic research needs to be done," he said

   He said he has named a task force headed by Dr. James Battey of the
National
 Institute on Deafness to review the current state of stem cell science
and make
 recommendations for its future direction.

   California State Sen. Deborah Ortiz told the panel her state has
enacted a
 law that overrides the federal rules and provides state support for new
 embryonic stem cell lines. Federal money can only be used for the 78
eligible
 cell lines. The California law would allow scientists to start new cell
lines
 for their research.

   "We simply ask Congress to respect California's will," she told the
 subcommittee.

   Asked if the California law would lead to problems for researchers
there, as
 far as federally funded programs, Zerhouni said no.

   He said they can do both federally and state funded research together
as long
 as they account for the federal money to be sure it is spent only on
work
 involving eligible cell lines."

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