by John M. Curtis
(310) 204-8700

Copyright May 23, 2005
All Rights Reserved.

hreatening to veto new stem cell legislation, President George W. Bush has allowed his religious convictions to dictate government policy on cutting edge science. With a bipartisan bill supporting embryonic stem cell research wending its way through Congress, Bush vowed to use his first veto. “I made [it] very clear to the Congress that the use of federal money, taxpayers' money, to promote science which destroys life in order to save life. I'm against that,” said Bush, allowing pro-life groups to dictate White House science policy. Never before has a president allowed his religious views to undermine scientific advancement. Pending legislation, sponsored in the House by Reps. Mike Castle (R-Del.) and Diana DeGette (D-Col.), expands stem cell research beyond the severe restrictions imposed by Bush four years ago limiting research to 20 contaminated stem cell lines.

      Bush walks on thin ice trying to persuade members of Congress to join the pro-life Family Research Council in opposing embryonic stem cell research. Pro-life groups object to using donated egg cells for therapeutic cloning—a process called somatic nuclear cell transfer—to grow stem cells. Exciting new research at Seoul National University by Dr. Woo Suk-Hwang and Dr. Shin Yong-Moon has developed an efficient technique for harvesting stem cells. Bush's restrictive policy and promises of stem cell research prompted California's 2004 Proposition 71 mandating the creation of a $3-billion state agency called the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine. Bush chooses to ignore not only widespread public support but also within the Congress, allowing religious conservatives to call the shots. It's disgraceful allowing other countries to take the lead.

      Bush hopes to influence enough votes to sustain what looks like a certain veto. White House strategists practically guarantee that Bush's legacy will be marked by right wing extremism. There's no excuse for any American president to sabotage cutting edge science. If Bush or his friends choose to boycott stem cell research on religious grounds then that's their choice. Allowing personal views to influence official U.S. policy is inexcusable. No president, or for that matter a member of Congress, should place personal views over the welfare of constituents or public good. If cures for Diabetes, Alzheimers's or Parkinson's disease can be improved with embryonic stem cells, no politician—no matter how well-intentioned or zealous—should sabotage cutting edge medical research. Both political parties have an obligation to get government off the back of the scientific community.

      Bush's opposition to stem cell research represents an unjustifiable threat to medical science and the biotechnology industry. Attacking nascent industries punishes entrepreneurs and discourages the kind of discovery and innovation, leading to breakthroughs. While California's fledgling stem cell industry is now mired in legal problems, the intent was to (a) advance bioscience and technology, (b) create new jobs and opportunity and ultimately (c) seek cures for otherwise untreatable diseases. “Reproductive cloning is not our goal,” said Hwang, reaffirming his opposition to reproductive cloning. “Reproductive cloning is unsafe and unethical, as so it shouldn't be done in any country,” making an unmistakable commitment to therapeutic cloning. Therapeutic cloning aims to grow stem cells for the expressed purpose of treating incurable medical conditions.

      House and Senate Republicans must summon the courage to break ranks with the White House, too busy pandering to the religious right to make useful distinctions.. There's nothing unethical about growing human tissue for the purpose of treating incurable medical conditions. While cloning hysteria still abounds, it has no place interfering with scientists seeking better treatments for incurable diseases. “It is a tremendous advance,” said Dr. Leonard Zon, chief stem cell researcher at Harvard Medical School and president of the International Society for Stem Cell Research, delighted with the Korean discovery. Bush has to stop pandering to special interests and politicizing scientific discovery. More federal research dollars are needed to put the U.S. in the forefront of the stem cell industry. Calling Hwang's research unethical or morally objectionable goes over the top.

      Cloning creates macabre images of mad scientists manufacturing human beings. Allowing specially cloned embryos to grow stem cells opens the door for eventual medical breakthroughs. “It will take a lot to work,” said Zon, cautioning against getting too excited about immediate therapeutic benefits from cloning. Even Hwang cautions that real benefits are years away. Before rockets carried humankind into outer space, scientists worked unencumbered by moral constraints about breaching God's law.. Today's researchers must work without restraints or reservations, extend the possibility of real medical advances and offer hope to individuals afflicted with incurable diseases. Elected officials have a bigger obligation than repaying political capital. Religious objections have their place but they shouldn't interfere with advancing science or the public good.

About the Author

John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He's editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.

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