Tumortown

[Lamplighter]

Any institution federal funds can be cut off if they engage in stem cell research...
much like all states receive federal hiway funds and the state can be cut off if it does not follow federal guidelines or rules.
So this rules out a lot of hospitals and universities.

California passed state laws to allow stem cell research in facilities that use only private and/or Calif state monies.

Obama tried to break the impass with an Executive Order, but now it's again in the courts.



NY Times article

U.S. Judge Rules Against Obama’s Stem Cell Policy
By GARDINER HARRIS
Published: August 23, 2010

The ruling came as a shock to scientists at the National Institutes of Health and at universities across the country, which had viewed the Obama administration’s new policy and the grants provided under it as settled law.

[xoxoxoBruce]

The federal ruling under Bush, was they could only use preexisting embryonic stem cell lines, no new ones could be added. Obama eased up on that restriction, but two researchers that were working on adult stem cell research, and feared they would get less funding if the embryonic research expanded, filed suit on the grounds it offended their religious tenets.

When a couple have to use invitro fertilization, they harvest several eggs and attempt to fertilize them all. They then choose one or more that look viable, and implant it/them back in the womb. In octomoms case, they implanted all eight.

The left over eggs are trashed, because of the federal ruling against new lines. The law requires the couple's permission to use the eggs for research, or anything but disposal, but the fundamentalists are still bitching the lab/hospital might steal somebody's unused eggs.

[DanaC]

As I understand it, such institutions wouldn't just lose funding for that particular arm of research; but would lose all state funding for their institution. Very few institutions are likely to be willing to lose all that funding for other research in order to be able to research stem cells.

[classicman]

Originally Posted by DanaC

As I understand it, such institutions wouldn't just lose funding for that particular arm of research; but would lose all state funding for their institution.

Got a link for that - anyone?

[morethanpretty]

Originally Posted by spudcon

I'm confused. I thought stem cell research has been booming, and the only thing with a restriction on it is federally funded embrionic research. As far as I understand, all stem cell research is open, just don't expect people who oppose abortions to fund abortions to harvest embrionic stem cells. Placentas, umbilical cords, never heard of trashing eggs before. Fertile women flush an egg a month down the toilet every month. Where is the outrage?

There are no abortions done to get embryos for this research (at least in this country, and if a woman wanted to have her embryo aborted and donated to research that would be her choice). The embryos are leftovers from in vitro fertilization, they are either considered nonviable (meaning they aren't fit to be implanted) or the couple does not need/want them. Sperm is just sperm, not a person. An egg is just an egg, not a person. An embryo is an just an embryo. Lets save the people in this world before bringing more into it.

[spudcon]

So it all comes down to money. Greedy capitalist bastards!