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Scientists won't wait for stem cell law Researchers prepare to use embryos while MPs dither Norma Greenaway The Ottawa Citizen Monday, June 16, 2003 Canadian scientists are gearing up to begin stem cell research on surplus human embryos, with or without the blessing of Parliament. Unwilling to wait any longer for Parliament to approve legislation regulating research, they will proceed on the basis of guidelines set out by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the federal funding agency. The stem cell network, a group of 65 scientists, bio-engineers, clinicians and social scientists, plans to seek money from CIHR for two research projects involving embryonic stem cells. Dr. Ron Worton, the network's scientific director, says the group could begin the research as early as this fall if it gets the go-ahead from a stem cell oversight committee that the CIHR is in the midst of creating. In short, he said, the waiting game is over. "Scientists across the country have been waiting and they have been waiting, to some degree, as a matter of courtesy," he said in an interview. "We knew the government is dealing with this and we said, 'let's let them deal with it and develop appropriate legislation.' " Given sensitivities around the assisted reproductive technologies legislation, especially the provision allowing research on human embryos, he and others put their research ambitions on hold. "We didn't want to wave any red flags," Dr. Worton said, adding the network stuck to conducting research on adult stem cells. No more. It's now full steam ahead on embryonic stem cell research. "There is nothing that we are doing, or contemplating doing that would be outlawed or banned by the legislation as it stands," Dr. Worton said. He noted the proposed legislation essentially mirrors CIHR guidelines that all recipients of federal research funds must follow. The CIHR is preparing to name a 14-member stem cell oversight committee. It will be made up of professionals from the medical and social science fields and members of the assisted human reproduction community who will assess requests for funding for all stem cell research, including those harvested from adults and embryos left over from in vitro fertilization. Research on stem cells, which have the ability to renew themselves and to develop into a variety of human tissues and organs, is aimed at developing therapies for the treatment of such conditions as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, diabetes and spinal cord injury. CIHR is already accepting research proposals, but no money will flow until the oversight committee, once established, approves the applications. The research is controversial because the process destroys the embryos, a process that some opponents equate to taking a human life. Despite months of committee hearings and Commons debates, the legislation covering the research is bogged down in the Commons. It is the victim of strong objections from all the opposition parties and a mini-rebellion within Liberal ranks as well. Fearful of losing the vote, the government agreed to adjourn the Commons for the summer on Friday without calling the legislation for third and final reading. The legislation also bans human cloning and sets out rules to govern surrogacy and egg and sperm donations. The government insists the bill will be dealt with when the Commons resumes in mid-September. But even if it gets final approval in the Commons, it still needs to be approved by the Senate. Senate sources say the upper chamber will conduct hearings on the legislation and is not prepared to "rubber stamp" the package. There is a growing belief the legislation, that has kicked around in various versions since the mid-'90s, might again die on the order paper, especially if the fall session turns out to be as truncated as some MPs predict. They think the session could be prorogued before the Liberal leadership convention in November. A new session would be convened some time in February after the new leader, presumably Paul Martin, takes over as prime minister from Jean Chrétien. Health Minister Anne McLellan bristled at the suggestion the legislation might not get approved before Mr. Chrétien leaves power. "The bill won't die," Ms. McLellan said in an interview. "The bill will be dealt with at the appropriate time and this government is very committed to dealing with it." The Canadian Alliance, which tried unsuccessfully to impose a three-year moratorium on embryonic stem cell research, is not happy about the CIHR's plans. Alberta MP Rob Merrifield, the party's health critic, took particular aim at Dr. Alan Bernstein, president of CIHR, saying he shouldn't be dishing out funds for research that Parliament has yet to approve. "He is on the edge of going beyond his mandate, and maybe a bit over the edge," Mr. Merrifield said in an interview. "He should be a little more patient." SOURCE: The Ottawa Citizen http://canada.com/national/story.asp?id=FC3BBC71-97C9-4962-A93F-7C22D1DFA82E * * * ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn