The controversy around embryonic stem cell research has resurfaced in the us, this time pitting president George W Bush against many other Republican leaders. The us house of representatives passed a bill on May 24, 2005, allowing public funding for such research through the National Institutes of Health (nih), under the us Department of Health and Human Services. The proposed law gives couples, who have undergone fertility treatment, the choice to donate their extra embryos for research. But Bush, who had banned federal funding for this purpose in 2001, opposes the bill, which now goes to the senate. He has threatened to exercise his presidential veto, a prerogative he has never used during his presidency, to block it.
Embroynic stem cells are extracted from embryos and can develop into virtually any cell of any human organ. These cells can be directed to grow into tissues (bone marrow, neural tissue or muscle) and used to treat degenerative diseases like spinal cord injury, stroke, heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. The embryo is destroyed in the process. This is what Bush objects to: "There is no such thing as a spare embryo. Every embryo is unique and genetically complete, like every other human being...These lives are not raw material to be exploited, but gifts," he argues.
The Repubilcan-controlled house voted 238-194, short of the two-thirds supermajority of 290 needed to override a veto. The propelling force behind the move is believed to be huge public support for embryonic stem cell research. A recent opinion poll conducted by a prominent media group said 42 per cent us citizens want the federal government to ease restrictions on its funding and another 11 per cent propose lifting all restrictions. It can also not be ignored that the development of such treatments is an extremely lucrative proposition for pharmacuetical companies.
The ban has encouraged private funding in the research area. California, Illinois, New Jersey and Wisconsin have already passed bills in this regard: California plans to spend us $3 billion in the next decade for the purpose, as against nih' s 2004 expenditure of us$24.8 million, on work on stem cell lines created before August 2001 (for which funding was permitted). But state-controlled research leads to duplication of work. Besides, private funding can't guarantee transparency and accountability and the quality of research is compromised due to lack of standards. us researchers are also worried that other countries might forge ahead in the field. A scientist in South Korea recently created the world's first embryonic stem cells that genetically matched injured or sick patients.
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