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The 2000s:

On the Podium

 

POLITICS: 2001

Conflict:

Many people on the far-right side of politics, such as The National Right to Life Committee and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, oppose all forms of stem cell research (SCR). Still other groups wanted more SCR freedom than the Dickey Amendment and its renewal bills allowed.

Compromise:

President George W. Bush, in an Address to the Nation on August 9th, 2001, makes an attempt to partially satisfy both sides:

"As a result of private research, more than 60 genetically diverse stem cell lines already exist.  They were created from embryos that have already been destroyed, and they have the ability to regenerate themselves indefinitely, creating ongoing opportunities for research.  I have concluded that we should allow federal funds to be used for research on these existing stem cell lines, where the life and death decision has already been made.”

 

POLITICS: 2004

Conflict:

Californians felt that embryonic stem cell research should be allowed in their state, but federal and state laws both restricted it.

Compromise:

The federal laws remained, but Californians voted in 2004 to set aside billions of tax dollars for hESC research. New Jersey followed California's example, and Massachusetts, Connecticut and Illinois all loosened state legislature regarding stem cell research.

 

SCIENCE: March 10, 2006

Oregon Health Sciences University announces it will use embryonic stem cells to treat six children will the fatal, neurological Batten disease.

 

POLITICS: July 18-19, 2006

The Senate and House of Representatives both passed similar bills, S. 471 and H. R. 810, both allowing federal funding for stem cell research on "surplus" embryos. They both also strictly prohibited reproductive cloning. The bill was passed and forwarded to President George W. Bush. He vetoed it, and Congress was unable to override the veto.

 

POLITICS and SCIENCE: 2007- 2008

Conflict:

With the ban on federal funding for embryonic stem cell research remaining, advances have slowed down on the stem cell research field.

Compromise:

Scientists have devoted most of their time and energy to working with adult stem cells, which produces remarkable results. Some recent studies have suggested that adult stem cells can be coaxed into being just as "developmentally plastic" as embryonic stem cells, or able to form into as many different cell types.