President Barack Obama’s announcement Monday about easing federal
restrictions on embryonic stem cell research was met with cheers and
even a heartfelt thank-you from Nancy Reagan. People wasted no time
pointing out that San Francisco, home of the California Institute for
Regenerative Medicine, stands to gain from the influx of federal funds
and nerds.
But before we start dressing as our favorite embryonic stem cell to run in Bay to Breakers, I want to point out three things:
First, don’t expect any money to come right away. The Health and Human Services Agency still has to write up new regulations for the use of stem cells. Also, federal funding for research is highly regulated and getting it takes months and a mountain of paperwork.
Second, federal funding may have a negative effect on other contributions to stem cell research. The reason CIRM was created and funded in the first place was because Bush refused federal funding for the same research in 2001. If people think the federal government will now foot the bill, they might withhold private donations, and our state government (the same one raiding the coffers of mental health funds) may try to wiggle out of its obligations to fund CIRM.
Third, at least one consumer group is already calling for a revision of the Bayh-Dole Act. Passed in 1980, it allows nonprofits, universities and small businesses to own the title to any invention they develop with federal research funds, though the U.S. retains the right to intervene in “exceptional circumstances.”
Critics say this law makes the taxpayer pay twice — first for the research (with no direct return on the investment), then for the drugs created by the research. Given the current financial crisis, we can expect to see a fight on whether and how to amend the Bayh-Dole Act to give some money back to us investors.
Let's not forget that since 1996, Congress has specifically rejected Federal funding on stem cell research that destroyed a human embryo- both Clinton and W sought ways around that prohibition, but also tried to maintain some sense of ethics (which Obama only provided lip-service to, and is concerning to me- not that I disagree with stem cell research, but there should be some sense that we shouldn't be playing God).
Until Congress changes the law on funding of stem cells that destroy human embryos, Obama's pronouncement has little effect. Non-federally funded researchers have been able to use human embryos all along.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/10/science/10lab.html
Posted by: VenerableBede | March 12, 2009 at 14:07
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Posted by: phyl247 | March 12, 2009 at 17:09
Changes to restrictions will be slow!? But I need LIVES! LIVES FOR THE MASTER!!!
How can you have a favorite stem cell? They're pre-differentiation! I would like to apply as the Sweet Melissa scientific adviser. This piece is rife with inaccuracies.
GIVE US MOAR FUNDING. RESEARCH GOOD. Drug patents are whack.
Off to dine on snowy white unborn children with stem cell dippin' sauce, yall.
Posted by: Leslie | March 12, 2009 at 19:03
Whatever. I just want my Michael J. Fox back.
Posted by: generic | March 12, 2009 at 19:04
@Leslie - I'm not against embryonic stem cell research. I wrote this piece so people's expectations about federal funding will be realistic, but I'm quite happy that Obama relaxed the regulations.
And I was making a bay to breakers joke about dressing up like a stem cell. Perhaps you need a humor adviser.
Posted by: Melissa Griffin | March 12, 2009 at 19:07
yikes. I was just being glib. Totally just messing around. Didn't mean to come off like a bitch.
-leslie, of the now defunct reclaiming miss havisham blog thing
Posted by: Leslie | March 12, 2009 at 23:42
@Leslie - Oh shit! I didn't realize it was you! I'm so sorry!! I didn't recognize the email. Ironically, it was your humor that escaped ME. D'oh. Apologies, my dear.
Posted by: Melissa Griffin | March 12, 2009 at 23:54
Anyone remember the South Park episode on stem cells. . .it was hilarious- Christopher Reeve going after his arch-nemesis Gene Hackman while devouring human embryos for his survival.
Posted by: Venerable Bede | March 13, 2009 at 13:05