Science Guide

Is embryonic stem cell research important to you? It ought to be if you or a loved one has any of the following conditions:

• Cancer
• Parkinson’s disease
• Alzheimer’s disease
• Spinal cord injuries
• Lupus
• ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease)
• Stroke
• Burns
• Heart disease
• Diabetes
• Osteoarthritis
• Rheumatoid arthritis

Under George W. Bush, federal funding of embryonic stem cell research is banned. But that's not enough for the lunatic right-wing fringe. They now want to ban all embryonic stem cell research, public or private, judging by a plank in the GOP platform, as reported by ThinkProgress.

This is the platform that John McCain, Sarah Palin, and the rest of their Republican cronies want to implement if we give them four more years. It's a position that's far to the right of so-called compassionate conservatives George Bush and Dick Cheney.

What does Democratic nominee Barack Obama say on the issue? Here's his response to the question that was put to him by Science Debate 2008:

I strongly support expanding research on stem cells. I believe that the restrictions that President Bush has placed on funding of human embryonic stem cell research have handcuffed our scientists and hindered our ability to compete with other nations. As president, I will lift the current administration’s ban on federal funding of research on embryonic stem cell lines created after August 9, 2001 through executive order, and I will ensure that all research on stem cells is conducted ethically and with rigorous oversight.

I recognize that some people object to government support of research that requires cells to be harvested from human embryos. However, hundreds of thousands of embryos stored in the U.S. in in-vitro fertilization clinics will not be used for reproductive purposes, and will eventually be destroyed. I believe that it is ethical to use these extra embryos for research that could save lives when they are freely donated for that express purpose. ...

Rather than restrict the funding of such research, I favor responsible oversight of it, in accord with recent reports from the National Research Council. Recommendations from the NRC reports are already being followed by institutions that conduct human embryonic stem cell research with funds from a variety of sources. An expanded, federally-supported stem cell research program will encourage talented U.S. scientists to engage in this important new field, will allow more effective oversight, and will signal to other countries our commitment to compete in this exciting area of medical research.