[extropy-chat] Fwd: [TransAct] [Fwd: [wta-politics] Bush Signals Tougher Embryo Research Limits]

[Samantha Atkins]

The US administration's attitude toward any research involving humon
embryos is apparently not limited to lack of federal funding for same.
  Note the "rogue scientists" part below.    Double plus not good.


---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Joseph Bloch <jbloch at humanenhancement.com>
Date: Sun, 06 Feb 2005 21:49:14 -0500
Subject: [TransAct] [Fwd: [wta-politics] Bush Signals Tougher Embryo
Research Limits]
To: transact at yahoogroups.com




-------- Original Message --------
Subject:        [wta-politics] Bush Signals Tougher Embryo Research Limits
Date:   Sat, 5 Feb 2005 13:23:48 -0500
From:   Hughes, James J. <james.hughes at trincoll.edu>
Reply-To:       List for political news and discussion
<wta-politics at transhumanism.org>
To:     List for political news and discussion
<wta-politics at transhumanism.org>

Bush Signals Tougher Embryo Research Limits

Thu Feb 3, 2005 04:09 PM ET

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Bush plans to press for even stricter
limits on human embryo research and has no intention of softening
restrictions on stem cell research, a senior administration official
said on Thursday.

The official doused speculation from activists and members of Congress
who hoped a brief mention of medical research in Bush's State of the
Union address on Wednesday night might mean he was being swayed by
pressure from them.

"I will work with Congress to ensure that human embryos are not created
for experimentation or grown for body parts and that human life is never
bought or sold as a commodity," Bush said on Wednesday night.

Supporters of embryonic stem cell research studied the brief comment for
some signal of change in the policy, which limits the use of federal
funds for embryo research to a few batches that existed as of August
2001.

But there was none, the official said, adding that the White House would
pursue limits on other research conducted by what she called "rogue
scientists."

She referred to a 2003 experiment by Dr. Norbert Gleicher of the
Foundation for Reproductive Medicine in Chicago, whose team injected
male cells into female embryos.

"This would prohibit that type of experimentation as well," the official
said, adding Bush plans to lay out a detailed, broader bioethics agenda
in the near future.

Colorado Democratic Rep. Diana DeGette said if Bush wants ethical
medical research, he should free up federal funding, not restrict it.

"Only with the full force of the federal government, through the
National Institutes of Health, can we ensure that scientific research is
conducted ethically, with full respect for human life and human
dignity," DeGette, a leading proponent of embryonic stem cell research
said.

Supporters of stem cell research in both the House and the Senate have
said they have majorities to move ahead with legislation that would
specifically authorize federal funding of the research, which doctors
say has the potential to transform medicine.

Specifically, supporters say they see nothing wrong with using embryos
from fertility clinics, created in the process of making "test-tube" or
IVF babies, that would otherwise be discarded.

Stem cells are the body's master cells, giving rise to tissue and
organs. Stem cells from days-old embryos have the ability to form any
kind of tissue and scientists are working to learn how to manipulate
them to create transplants to treat diseases ranging from diabetes to
Alzheimer's to cancer.

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consent of Reuters. Reuters and the Reuters sphere logo are registered
trademarks or trademarks of the Reuters group of companies around the
world.

(c) Reuters 2005
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