| LEGISLATIVE NEWS
By Andrew Morris, Director of Legislation
United Spinal Association submitted comments to the National Institute of Health (NIH) in support of ethical embryonic stem cell research. The NIH had issued proposed guidelines in response to an Executive Order that President Obama signed in March of 2009 that reversed the Bush administration’s ban on embryonic stem cell research funded in any part with federal funds.
In our comments to NIH, United Spinal Association stated that we only support embryonic stem cell research of the strongest ethical caliber. We agreed with the Obama administration that such research must meet the following criteria:
(i) the only eligible embryos that may be used for this research are those that are slated for disposal by in-vitro fertilization clinics (e.g. when the couple has no need of them); and (ii) the donors can receive no money or anything else of value in exchange for the embryos. NIH policy also prefers that the doctor who obtains the permission to donate the embryos cannot not be the same person who will be doing the stem cell research.
Late in the summer NIH put out guidelines on embryonic research that included these important ethical standards. If you want to follow the latest news on stem cell research, see stemcells.nih.gov.
