Lawmakers revive stem cell issue

Any confirmation hearings for a new NIH director almost certainly would focus attention on the stem cell issue. Although congressional threats to prohibit NIH funding of research involving human stem cells did not materialize last year, the issue is likely to be revived when the NIH completes work on its stem cell research guidelines. The public comment period on the draft guidelines, which was scheduled to terminate on Sunday, has been extended until Feb. 22.

Two stem cells bills were introduced in Congress last week. Sens. Arlen Specter (R-Penn.) and Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) introduced the Stem Cell Research Act of 2000 (S 2015). It would give NIH legal authority to conduct, support, or fund research on human embryos only for the purpose of generating stem cells. Under the bill, human embryonic stem cells may be derived and used in research only from donated embryos that otherwise would be discarded by in vitro fertilization clinics, and only with the written informed consent of the donors...