Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

SUN EDITORIAL:

Promoting useful science

Appeals court should make permanent a ruling favoring stem cell research

Embryonic stem cell research, which holds vast potential to find the cures for diseases that have baffled scientists for decades, appeared to have gained momentum last year when President Barack Obama signed an executive order making it eligible for federal funding. The order reversed the policy of his predecessor, President George W. Bush, who had limited the funding to 21 existing cell lines and vetoed legislation to extend the research.

Obama did the right thing because the number of human frailties that can be addressed through such research is substantial. The list includes cancer, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases, spinal cord injury, diabetes, stroke, muscular dystrophy, heart ailments, blindness, deafness and learning disorders.

Opponents of embryonic stem cell research liken it to abortions, but a considerable number of abortion opponents wouldn’t agree with this characterization. They include Republican Sens. Orrin Hatch and John McCain and former Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson. Former first lady Nancy Reagan also has been outspoken in support of this research. The embryos used to create stem cells have been donated to research by couples who went to fertility centers but no longer needed the embryos created there.

Because the good that can come from embryonic stem cell research is so substantial, we were pleased when a federal appeals court ruled last week that such research could continue while it considers an order by a federal judge in Washington. That judge had determined that a legislative ban precluded the government from using federal funding to study embryonic stem cells. As The New York Times reported, the latest ruling could allow the National Institutes of Health to provide $78 million to 44 scientists for embryonic stem cell research and allow this vital activity to proceed.

We hope the appeals court takes the additional step of overturning the lower court’s order. The back and forth legal battle on this issue, prompted by a lawsuit by foes of embryonic stem cell research who consider such work unethical, had forced suspension of such research at eight government labs. In appealing the lower court order, the federal government argued that a ban on further research would squander the $546 million it had already spent to study embryonic stem cells.

But even a favorable appeals court ruling could be appealed, delaying a resolution of this issue, which is why Congress should get involved.

Congress could settle this issue by passing legislation in support of federal funding for embryoic stem cell research. We do not foresee such legislation being a problem because there was bipartisan support for this research when Bush was in office. But it would help if the Obama administration used its influence to help pass the legislation.

Advances in embryonic stem cell research could help put an end to the needless suffering of millions of Americans. Capable scientists throughout the country have dedicated themselves to the pursuit of this worthy cause. It is time to lift the cloud that hangs over this issue so they have the opportunity to make discoveries that could promote a better quality of life for all of society.

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