President Bush consults with bioethicists about stem cell research-Murray Charters

[janet paterson <janet313@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

>    Subject: President Bush consults with bioethicists about stem cell
research
>    From: Murray Charters <Murray_Charters@xxxxxxxxx>
>    Date: Tue, 10 Jul 2001 20:43:19 -0700

President Bush consults with bioethicists about stem cell research
The Associated Press

WASHINGTON (July 10,  6:15 p.m. PDT) - A group of bioethicists
met privately with President Bush on Tuesday as he tried to sort
through competing questions of the science and morality of
embryonic stem cell research.

The Oval Office meeting, whose participants the White House
would not individually identify, was the latest in a series
of consultations the president has conducted "with the least
fanfare, allowing for the most thoughtful conversations,"
press secretary Ari Fleischer said. He described Tuesday's
group as "some of the leading thinkers on issues of ethics
and science."

Bush has also met privately in recent days with anti-abortion
activists staunchly opposed to the research and with groups
representing disease sufferers who believe stem cells hold the
key to medical breakthroughs on such medical enigmas as
Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease.

"The president continues to meet with people with varying
opinions and perspectives on this issue and will do so until he
feels comfortable to make a decision," said White House adviser
Dan Bartlett.

Since 1996, the government has banned federal funding of
research that would harm, damage or destroy human embryos.
Bush has promised a decision soon on whether he will reverse
the Clinton administration's policy of allowing federal money
to pay for research on stem cells from surplus embryos discarded
by fertility clinics - as long as the cells were extracted from
embryos by researchers not receiving federal funds.

SOURCE: The Sacramento Bee


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