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Public Policy Report - December 22, 2005

Adult Stem Cell Research Scores an
Important Victory in Congress

By Nathan Burd, Director of International Program & Public Policy

After months of unnecessary delays, the U.S. Senate has finally approved a responsible adult stem cell research bill. The Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Act passed the U.S. House of Representatives in May and President Bush signed the bill into law quickly after the Senate joined the House in approval.

The bill, written by Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ), will provide funding and programs to support proven forms of adult stem cell research. Hospitals currently throw out millions of umbilical cords each year because they do not have the capability to properly store them for future uses. This new law will create the infrastructure needed for the collection and storage of umbilical cord blood. It will also increase the number of cord blood units and cord blood stem cells that are available to treat patients suffering from various diseases. Cord blood stem cells have already treated people with leukemia and sickle cell anemia and this bill will expand research that could lead to additional breakthroughs.

Congressman Smith issued the following statement following the passage of the bill:

“Not only has God in His infinite wisdom and goodness created the placenta and umbilical cord to nurture and protect the precious life of an unborn child, but now we know that another gift awaits us immediately after birth, something very special is left behind: cord blood that is rich with stem cells.

Indeed, one of the best kept secrets in America today is that umbilical cord blood stem cells and adult stem cells are curing people of a myriad of terrible conditions and diseases.”

The passage of this important piece of legislation has brought the debate on adult stem cell research and embryonic stem cell research sharply into focus. Pro-abortion Senators initially refused to allow a vote on the Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Act because they demanded that a bill expanding embryonic stem cell research also receive a vote. The bill they support, HR 810, would overturn President Bush’s limits on taxpayer funding of new embryonic stem cell research. It would destroy human life and allow for the destruction of human embryos at fertility clinics at taxpayer expense.

Fortunately, the unnecessary opposition to the adult stem cell bill was dropped and the measure easily passed the House and Senate. Unfortunately, a vote on the embryonic stem cell bill is still expected to occur early next year. Pro-life groups are unified in their opposition to embryonic stem cell research and they are expected to mount a vigorous campaign against HR 810.

Innovative and non-controversial adult stem research has proven results in treating 65 conditions and diseases (http://www.stemcellresearch.org/facts/treatments.htm). Embryonic stem cell research has yet to yield any results at all and it requires the destruction of innocent human life for experimentation. Various studies have concluded that embryonic stem cell research could lead to tumor formation, tissue rejection and genetic instability, proving that this research is wrong morally and medically.

The debate on stem cell research is sure to heat up in the coming year, so please keep our policymakers in your prayers as they consider these important life-or-death issues.

For more information on stem cell research, visit www.stemcellresearch.org.

To look up any bill in Congress, visit www.thomas.loc.gov.

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