NEWS: STEM CELL - Both sides in debate over stem cell research fear for future with Bush

[Murray Charters <Murray_Charters@xxxxxxxxx>]

Tuesday, February 6, 2001 | 3:20 a.m.
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Both sides in debate over stem cell research fear for future with Bush
By Jodi Enda
Knight Ridder Newspapers
WASHINGTON -   IN THE NEWS: STEM CELL RESEARCH
By next month, President George W. Bush must decide whether he
wants to continue funding research projects on stem cell research. He
says he is opposed to such research if the cells come from aborted
embryos but supports the work if the cells come from adults.
* Adding to the pressure is a March 15 deadline set by former President
Bill Clinton's administration for scientists to apply for what would be the
first federal grants issued for research on stem cells.
President George W. Bush must soon decide on a sensitive issue that
pits his opposition to abortion against the search for medical cures
using stem cells removed from embryos or aborted fetuses.
Bush opposes spending federal money for what scientists say is
potentially life-saving research if it is conducted on fetal and embryonic
stem cells, basic human cells that have the potential to develop into any
number of tissues and organs, a White House spokesman said.
Advocates for victims of diseases such as Parkinson's, Alzheimer's,
diabetes and cancer fear that Bush will clamp down on what could be
the most promising avenue for cures to date.
At the same time, abortion opponents worry that the president, who restricted 
other abortion-related funding on his first day of work as president, will 
abandon them on an issue they view as critical to the debate over wh
en life begins.
Both sides are looking ahead to March 15, the deadline set by former President 
Bill Clinton's administration for scientists to apply for what would be the 
first federal grants issued for research on stem cells.
"If action isn't taken, the timeline will continue and fund things that the 
president is against," said Richard Doerflinger of the National Conference of 
Catholic Bishops.
Bush has made clear he opposes using taxpayer money to pay for research using 
cells or tissue taken from aborted fetuses, while he supports the use of stem 
cells extracted from adults' blood and bone marrow.
On the use of stem cells extracted from the core of embryos, however, his 
language has been fuzzy.
"I believe there are some wonderful opportunities for adult stem cell 
research," Bush said shortly after taking office. "I believe we can find stem 
cells from fetuses that died a natural death. And I do not support resear
ch from aborted fetuses."
The statement was not strong enough for abortion opponents, who would like the 
president to specifically condemn embryonic stem cell research and prevent 
taxpayer dollars from supporting it.
"I think that the president has made some either terribly misinformed 
statements or intentionally misleading statements," said Judie Brown, president 
of the American Life League. "I can't imagine that he doesn't understan
d that the stem cells that are being taken are taken from human embryos, not 
from fetuses.
"He claims to be pro-life. Well, what's his problem?"
Abortion opponents assert that life begins at conceptio         
nandthatdestroyinganembryoistakingalife.
Pressed to clarify the president's remarks, White House spokesman Scott 
McClellan said Friday that Bush does side with abortion opponents.
"He is opposed to taxpayer funding for fetal tissue research from induced 
abortions. He is opposed to federal funding on stem cells that destroy living 
human embryos," McClellan said. "The president recognizes the strong
emotions on both sides."
Presidents Ronald Reagan and George Bush banned federal funding for fetal 
tissue research, but President Bill Clinton removed that ban in 1993. Since 
then, Congress voted twice to permit scientists to transplant tissue re
moved from fetuses into victims of debilitating diseases. As a result, the 
government has spent $124 million on fetal tissue research, action that even 
opponents say would be difficult to reverse.
On the other hand, those on both sides of the issue say it would be relatively 
easy for Bush to halt federal financing of stem cell research, which has not 
yet begun and is the product of a federal regulation, as opposed
to a law, approved by Clinton's administration last year. A spokesman for the 
National Institutes of Health said the amount of money to be awarded has not 
been determined.
Advocates for abortion rights have remained relatively quiet on the subject, 
though they say they support the research.
"The issue of stem cell research and fetal tissue research is not really a 
reproductive rights issue, it's a science issue," said Gloria Feldt, president 
of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America.
Abortion opponents are concerned that any delay in a decision by Bush will lead 
to the destruction of untold numbers of embryos, which they consider to be 
human lives, said Doerflinger, associate director of the Secretari
at for Pro-Life Activities for the National Conference of Catholic Bishops.
To avoid a congressional ban against the federal destruction of embryos, 
government regulations issued last year allow taxpayer money to be used to 
perform research on stem cells taken from the cores of embryos - but not
to destroy the embryos themselves. That must be financed with private money.
"I don't know whether researchers are now having the embryos destroyed so that 
they can go to the funding process with stem cells in hand," Doerflinger said. 
"We've certainly urged the administration to act as soon as pos
sible."
Advocates for the research contend it could save or vastly improve the lives of 
adults and children suffering from many incurable diseases.
"We're obviously concerned," said Robin Elliott, executive director of
the Parkinson's Disease Foundation. "Anything that prevents scientists
from doing what scientists do well is something that we oppose. When
there was a ban on fetal research 10 years ago, that slowed down
research by years."
Most embryos used in research come from in-vitro fertility clinics, he
said. The clinics tend to create more embryos than they need to implant
in would-be mothers, and patients may order the destruction of the ones
that remain unused.
Supporters of stem cell research argue that since the embryos would be
destroyed anyway, there is no harm in using them to seek treatment for
diseases.
Opponents counter that the research should be conducted on stem cells
removed from adults, from placentas and umbilical cords and from
fetuses that were aborted spontaneously through miscarriage.


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