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EDITORIAL: Go Forward In Research Clarksville Leaf Chronicle, TN - May 16, 2004 Nancy Reagan has found herself in an unusual position. The former first lady -- married to Ronald Reagan, who revitalized the conservative movement in the United States -- is at odds with the current conservative president on the matter of expanding stem cell research. President Bush has placed strict limits on stem cell research. Some opponents of abortion, such as the president, are against the use of cells from days-old human embryos. They believe life begins at conception and to use the cells in this way, even from discarded embryos, is morally wrong. Bush has ordered the National Institutes of Health not to fund any research on stem cells harvested from embryos after Aug. 9, 2001. Supporters of the research say that Bush is taking too hard line of a stand on a procedure that could lead to manipulating stem cells to treat diseases such as juvenile diabetes, Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's. It's that last disease from which the former president now suffers. Mrs. Reagan said at an event for juvenile diabetes that "Ronnie's long journey has finally taken him to a distant place where I can no longer reach him. Because of this, I'm determined to do whatever I can to save other families from this pain." Mrs. Reagan is not alone in urging Bush to consider changing his mind. Majority Leader Bill Frist, who is also a heart surgeon from Tennessee, was joined by more than 200 members of Congress who sent Bush a letter that called on him to reconsider his stem cell policy. When you are in a situation like Nancy Reagan has been in -- where you are forced to watch a loved one slowly fade away due to an incurable disease -- you want to find a way to help others to not go through a similar ordeal. No one can say for certain that stem cells will provide any cures. But researchers won't know one way or the other if they continue to be handicapped in their ability to investigate in a scientific manner. Originally published Saturday, May 15, 2004 SOURCE: Clarksville Leaf Chronicle, TN - May 16, 2004 http://www.theleafchronicle.com/news/stories/20040515/opinion/427180.html * * * ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn