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Don't stem the research It's good that Ga. scientists no longer face prison time for their work with embryonic cells, but it's not enough Published on: 03/10/06 Georgia research scientists interested in finding new treatments for deadly and debilitating conditions such as Parkinson's disease and diabetes are no doubt relieved to know that they no longer face the threat of prison time. In Senate Bill 596, state Sen. David Shafer (R-Duluth) had initially proposed criminal penalties against any scientist who experimented with therapeutic cloning, a promising technique for addressing a range of human diseases. Until that provision was removed, the bill would have barred Georgians from participating even in federally sponsored research using existing embryonic stem cell lines. Shafer, who chairs the Science and Technology Committee, had been going around the Legislature comparing researchers who work with embryonic stem cells to the discredited eugenics movement of a century ago, which forcibly sterilized people in an attempt to reduce the number of babies born physically and mentally handicapped. Reasonable people can disagree over the thorny ethical and moral issues raised by using human embryos in research, but Shafer's continued references to eugenics and his idea of jailing researchers were over the top. The cloning that takes place in embryonic stem cell research is nothing like eugenics. Nor is it an effort to clone human beings, a project already widely condemned by American scientists and prohibited by National Institutes of Health rules. No legitimate scientist has suggested using embryonic stem cells to do anything other than provide a potential therapy for killer diseases and conditions. While some types of stem cells can be found in adults as well as in placental tissue and umbilical cord blood, most scientists agree that the cells holding the best promise for regenerative power are found in unneeded, days-old embryos created by fertility clinics that would otherwise be thrown away. That's why other states have taken the opposite approach of Georgia, funding their own research using embryonic stem cells. It's probably too much to expect the Georgia Legislature to endorse such a step, even if it might lead to effective life-saving treatments for thousands of people with degenerative conditions. But at least Shafer's bill, as now written, no longer threatens Georgia's scientific community. It would set up a collection process for umbilical cord blood, amniotic fluid and placental tissue to be used in research, which might be useful, but sadly it falls short of using the state's best and brightest minds to advance very promising therapies. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn