A woman with Parkinson’s disease, an immunologist at Princeton University and a physicist who became a congressman believe President Bush’s decision to limit federal funding of embryonic stem-cell research may hamper scientists who are searching for cures for catastrophic illnesses.
By: Jeff Milgram
A woman looking for a cure for her Parkinson’s disease, an immunologist at Princeton University and a physicist who became a congressman believe President Bush’s decision to limit federal funding of embryonic stem-cell research may hamper scientists who are searching for cures for catastrophic illnesses.
"I am deeply concerned that President Bush has made a decision that can diminish the benefit of stem-cell research," said Margaret Tuchman, president of the Parkinson Alliance, headquartered in Princeton. "While I am grateful that the avenue is not closed entirely, limiting the federal funds and the number of cell lines available for scientists to work with may seriously impede the progress of researchers."
Ihor Lemischka, a Princeton University immunologist who is using embryonic mice stem cells in his research, said, "Obviously, it’s a better-than-nothing decision for the stem-cell community, but it’s short-sighted" to limit the research.
"Only with the support of the substantial resources of the federal government will researchers be able to translate the promise of stem-cell research into treatments and cures for millions of Americans suffering from devastating diseases," said Ms. Tuchman, who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease at 38 and has lived with it for more than 20 years.
In a nationally televised speech Thursday night, President Bush announced he would allow federal money to be used for medical research on the approximately 60 already harvested human embryonic cell lines.
On Monday, President Bush threatened to veto any legislation that violates the spirit of his proposal to give federal funding for limited embryonic stem-cell research.
"The statement I laid out (Thursday) is what I think is right for America,” President Bush told reporters gathered on his central Texas ranch as he signed an agriculture spending bill.
"Any piece of legislation that undermines what I think is right will be vetoed,” he said.
Researchers believe stem cells, the pinpoint-size building blocks of all human organs and tissue, may be able to repair the damage caused by spinal cord injury, cancer, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
"A lot of investigators, including myself, are wondering where the figure of 60 stem-cell lines came from," Dr. Lemischka said.
He explained that stem-cell lines, which are self-propagating, are unstable and, thus, may not be useful for future research.
"They change, but we don’t know how much they change over time," Dr. Lemischka said.
Human stem cells are derived from embryos that are considered surplus by reproductive centers and would have been thrown out. Some anti-abortion groups and the Catholic Church have opposed the research because the embryos must be destroyed before the stem cells are harvested.
President Bush’s decision to limit research to stem cells that have already been harvested from surplus human embryos is bad news to Ms. Tuchman.
"The men, women and children suffering from life-threatening diseases are engaged in a race against time," she said. "President Bush’s decision on stem-cell research can literally mean the difference between life and death."
Ms. Tuchman has undergone treatment with several different medicines and underwent a deep brain stimulation, which, while not a cure, has improved the quality of her life, she said.
"The possibility of finding a cure is what keeps me going, and recent developments in the area of stem-cell research have been truly exciting," she said.
Rep. Rush Holt (D-12), former assistant director of the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory in Plainsboro, shares Ms. Tuchman’s feelings.
"While President Bush has taken steps in the right direction, his decision clearly does not go far enough. Limiting research to a handful of existing stem-cell lines will delay potentially life-saving treatments and cures for countless diseases and could mean that not everyone will benefit from the research," Rep. Holt said in a prepared statement.
"By attempting to politically straddle this issue, the president has placed roadblocks in the way of scientific and medical progress. I urge Congress to act now to ensure that responsible embryonic stem-cell research can continue as laid out in the original National Institute of Health guidelines."