July 21st, 2004
Commenting On The US Stem Cell Bank
(From BioMed Central). The proposed US stem cell bank is widely viewed as a distraction from the real consequences of current anti-research US policy. The Coalition for the Advancement of Medical Research states: "The White House has found itself painted into a corner by its embrace of this severely restrictive policy. They're looking for a way to look better." This bank will not add any new stem cell lines eligable for Federal funding, and nor will it do anything about threats to therapeutic cloning that scare away private funding. Chris Mooney has a few words to say on this topic, and Doug Melton points out that "what's really needed is free and open access to all human embryonic stem cell lines and their general distribution."