[QUOTE]A US senator has unveiled a bill to safeguard government funding for human embryonic stem cell research amid a court battle that saw a judge order a halt to federal money for such work.
Democratic Senator Arlen Specter said his proposal would codify in law President Barack Obama's March 2009 executive order lifting restrictions his predecessor, George W Bush, had imposed on such research.
Senator Specter pointed to a federal judge's temporary injunction in August freezing federal funds for human embryonic stem cell research, later lifted by a US appeals court in a victory for backers of that pioneering scientific work.
"Even a temporary suspension of funding will disrupt the work on these important research projects in the areas of heart disease, sickle cell anemia, liver failure, muscular dystrophy and other maladies," said the senator, himself a cancer survivor.
In his August ruling, US district court judge Royce Lamberth found that the research violated a 1996 law - the Dickey-Wicker amendment - that forbids using government money to produce stem cells from human embryos.
That decision was a victory for a coalition that included several Christian organisations that view fertilised human eggs as persons entitled to the right to life.
While embryonic stem cell research is vastly popular with the US public, it remained unclear whether the US Congress would approve legislation such as Specter's before the November legislative elections.
Researchers believe that stem cells, so called because they are the foundation for all human cells, provide two promising avenues for scientists.
First, they can be used for research that cannot be performed inside the body. But scientists believe they can also coax the foundational cells into cardiac, pancreatic or brain cells to replace damaged or infected cells and allow tissue or organs to reconstitute themselves.
Senator Specter said the US National Institutes of Health reported $US546 million ($587.0 million) had been spent on human embryonic stem cell research "and phenomenal progress has already been made in realising the possible benefits".
His bill would require that stem cells be derived from human embryos created for reproductive purposes and donated by in vitro fertilisation clinics because they would never be implanted and would therefore be otherwise discarded.
The bill would also require written consent from individuals who donated the embryos, and would forbid the use of federal funds to derive stem cell lines - the process in which the embryo is destroyed.
At a town hall meeting with voters in Virginia, just outside Washington, Mr Obama acknowledged "legitimate ethical issues" in the research, but renewed his commitment to make decisions based on "sound science".
Mr Obama also said his administration was "appealing" and "challenging" Judge Lamberth's ruling while working to "try to build a common sense consensus that allows us to make progress over the long term". [/QUOTE]
Source: [url]http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news/us-senator-unveils-stem-cell-bill/story-e6frfku0-1225922010606[/url]
Good, it's about time we changed this. Imagine the breakthroughs we could have if this was seriously funded.
Imagine the breakthroughs there would have already been had it not been banned in the first place.
Come on go through... if these republicans make it into the house we're screwed.
[QUOTE=hypno-toad;24810951]Imagine the breakthroughs there would have already been had it not been banned in the first place.[/QUOTE]
Imagine all the breakthroughs if Religion and its fanatics didn't get in the way all the time.
Imagine all the breakthroughs if Facepunch stopped arguing about Religion and got good grades in school instead.
Imagine all the breakthroughs if this had been proposed eariler.
a9bb9596-9304-457b-8e47-9976a35b8832
1.03.01
[quote=Article] the Dickey-Wicker amendment[/quote]
Tee hee hee
[editline]d[/editline]
How much success have we already had with stem cell research? Is it even a viable field? I'm not asking in a negative manner, more out of ignorance. I've little knowledge in the field.
This law will destroy the sanctity of the American people and it must be horrendously filibustered by our patriotic and god-fearing Republican congressmen in order for our great nation to survive. In God we Trust.
[QUOTE=thirty9th;24813105]Tee hee hee
[editline]d[/editline]
How much success have we already had with stem cell research? Is it even a viable field? I'm not asking in a negative manner, more out of ignorance. I've little knowledge in the field.[/QUOTE]
It's pretty amazing. You can do things like put a mesh over damaged cartilage (like in your kneecap) and then spread a stem cell paste over the mesh and tada, in a little bit your knee is good as new.
With a little time we'll probably be able to grow fully functional organs. We can already make tissue grafts so it's not that far off.
[QUOTE=creefer;24835753]It's pretty amazing. You can do things like put a mesh over damaged cartilage (like in your kneecap) and then spread a stem cell paste over the mesh and tada, in a little bit your knee is good as new.
With a little time we'll probably be able to grow fully functional organs. We can already make tissue grafts so it's not that far off.[/QUOTE]
That's not how it works.
It really, really isn't.
[QUOTE=leadpumper;24812563]Imagine all the breakthroughs if Facepunch stopped arguing about Religion and got good grades in school instead.[/QUOTE]
I work full time and I goto school; I get good grades and a good paycheck. :smug:
Thank god they're finally funding this shit.
Yay, a democrat with balls. Hopefully there's more.
[QUOTE=creefer;24835753]spread a stem cell paste over[/QUOTE]
I can't believe it's not baby.
[QUOTE=Richard Simmons;24812477]Imagine all the breakthroughs if Religion and its fanatics didn't get in the way all the time.[/QUOTE]
Imagine all the breakthroughs if Atheism and it's fanatics din't start arguments all the time.
[quote]the Dickey-Wicker amendment[/quote]
I'd really like to know where that got its name.
On topic, final-fucking-ly!
[QUOTE=Kagrenak;24835770]That's not how it works.
It really, really isn't.[/QUOTE]
It is in the case of kneecap repair. I wish I still had that video handy.
[I]"Christianity. Thinking too much hurts!"[/I]
Imagine what'd happen if we stopped this fucking meme and did some cool shit already
imagine the breakthrough if something broke through
Senator Specter my goodness what a badass name for a badass motherfucker
About time you guys catch up in regards to this.
[QUOTE=Canary;24838096]Imagine all the breakthroughs if Atheism and it's fanatics din't start arguments all the time.:downs:[/QUOTE]
[B]The hell are you on about?[/B] This isn't a religious argument , it's a fact. The churches wanted it banned since it was a sin to modify god's creation or something.
[QUOTE=Instant Mix;24843294][B]The hell are you on about?[/B] This isn't a religious argument , it's a fact. The churches wanted it banned since it was a sin to modify god's creation or something.[/QUOTE]
Yup.
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