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Centrist Republicans: Expand stem-cell lines By Sarah Chamberlain Resnick This year alone in the United States, more than 550,000 Americans are expected to die from cancer, more than 400,000 families will learn that a loved one has to live with juvenile diabetes and an estimated 1 million people are suffering from Parkinson’s disease. For these Americans and their families, embryonic stem-cell research really is a pro-life issue. Yes, pro-life — the lives of those suffering with these diseases. It is widely believed among scientists that embryonic stem cell research could lead to cures for these illnesses and others. We could be closer to saving the lives of millions of Americans, but unfortunately the policy set in 2001 by the Bush administration has become unintentionally too restrictive. At the time the policy was set, GOP moderates in both chambers were largely pleased that President Bush and his administration compromised and opened to federal funding stem-cell lines that were created before Aug. 9, 2001, the date the policy was announced. Then there were believed to be 78 available lines; however, that number has dwindled to 19. Republican moderates are sensitive to Bush’s concern that stem-cell research should not cross a “fundamental moral line.” However, there is a way to increase the number of stem-cell lines available to federal research without doing anything that raises ethical questions. The Republican Main Street Partnership (RMSP) supports taking the estimated 400,000 excess embryos created every year by in-vitro fertilization (IVF) that would be discarded and instead donating them to the science community. The RMSP believes that these embryos should be made available to couples first. However, not all of these embryos will be used; in fact, many will be destroyed. Instead of seeing them discarded, the RMSP would prefer that these embryos be used for research that could preserve millions of lives. The majority of conservative voters agree with our position, according to a recent poll conducted by Fabrizio, McLaughlin and Associates for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation in late 2003. According to the poll of about 1,000 self-identified conservatives, 56 percent said they supported research derived from embryonic stem cells that otherwise would have been disposed of from fertility clinics. Of those 56 percent, 34 percent said they strongly support it. Several pro-life Republican members of Congress, including Sen. Orrin Hatch (R- Utah) and Reps. Randy “Duke” Cunningham (R-Calif.) and Dana Rohrabacher (R- Calif.), have already joined the bipartisan congressional effort to encourage the White House to rethink the 2001 policy. Over 200 House members signed a letter to the White House earlier this year, and senators in both parties are taking steps to encourage Bush to review the policy he set nearly three years ago. Allowing U.S. scientists to do research using embryos that would be discarded is not — and therefore, should not be made out to be — an abortion issue. It is, however, a pro-life issue, because this research holds the potential to improve and save millions of American lives every year. Chamberlain Resnick is executive director of the Republican Main Street Partnership. Its website is http://www.republicanmainstreet.org SOURCE: The Hill, DC http://www.thehill.com/op_ed/100704.aspx * * * ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn