Dickey-Wicker Amendment Upheld…So Far

ChelseaCloning, Embryonic Stem Cell ResearchLeave a Comment

In my post about President Obama’s executive order on stem cell research funding I mentioned a few things to look out for as a result of his pronouncement. One of those things was the overturning of the Dickey-Wicker Amendment which prohibits federal tax dollars from being used to create or destroy human embryos for scientific research. I do have good … Read More

Supreme Court Approves Expanded Fed. ESCR Funding

ChelseaEmbryo Experimentation, Embryonic Stem Cell ResearchLeave a Comment

Last week, the United States Supreme Court declined to hear a case challenging the legality of Barack Obama’s expanded government support of human embryonic-stem-cell research. Plaintiff’s in the case, which was first filed in a lower court in 2009, revolved around the prohibition by Congress of funds for “research in which an embryo is destroyed, discarded or injured”, a phrase … Read More

The Continuing Story of Federally Funded ESCR in the US

ChelseaEmbryonic Stem Cell ResearchLeave a Comment

This news is over a week old, but I was traveling last week when it broke and wasn’t able to post on it. From the AP – the latest in the continuing story of federally funded embryonic stem cell research: Judge dismisses suit on federal stem cell research For those of you who haven’t been following this very closely, or … Read More

ESCR Funding: it’s Primarily About Ethics, not Science

ChelseaEmbryonic Stem Cell Research1 Comment

Yesterday morning, Sen. Tom Harkin, chair of the Labor and Health and Human Services Appropriations Subcommittee, held a hearing on federal embryonic stem cell research funding. This was prompted by an injunction by District Court Judge Royce Lamberth’s injunction that blocked the Obama Administration’s expansion of federal funding for ESCR. I watched nearly the whole thing (here). Nothing new, really. … Read More

Appeals Court Suspends Federal Embryonic Stem Cell Research Funding Ban

ChelseaEmbryonic Stem Cell Research1 Comment

This just in (h/t Jill Stanek): President Barack Obama’s administration can fund embryonic stem-cell research while it appeals a decision banning government support for any activity using cells taken from human embryos, an appeals court said. The U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington today put on hold a ruling by District Judge Royce Lamberth during its review of the ban. … Read More

Boo-hoo! Scientists Can’t Destroy Embryos on Taxpayer Dime :-(

ChelseaEmbryonic Stem Cell Research4 Comments

In the wake of Monday’s court ruling against federal funding for embryonic stem cell research I’ve been reading story after story about researchers across the country complaining about how this decision negatively impacts the progression of ESCR. From these stories you would think that the judge actually banned ESCR completely. Apparently, the entire future of ESCR depends on the American … Read More

Court Blocks New Fed. Funding for ESCR! *Updated*

ChelseaEmbryonic Stem Cell Research2 Comments

This is encouraging news: A federal judge temporarily blocked the Obama administration Monday from using federal dollars to fund expanded human embryonic stem cell research, saying the research involves the destruction of embryos. The ruling comes after the National Institutes of Health last year issued new guidelines permitting federal funding for research on certain stem cell lines that had already … Read More

Stealth Legislation to Federally Fund Human Cloning

ChelseaCloningLeave a Comment

(h/t to Wesley Smith for the title of this post – I couldn’t think of a better description) Though President Obama has overturned the Bush stem cell policy and the NIH has made 13 more stem cell lines available for federal funding, there remains in place legislative restrictions on using appropriated funds for the creation of human embryos for research … Read More

NIH Revisiting ESCR Guidelines, Tell Them What You Think

ChelseaCloning, Embryonic Stem Cell Research, PoliticsLeave a Comment

Today the Family Research Council issued this action call: As you may know, President Bush’s policy was to allow funding for research that involved embryonic stem cells taken from human embryos so long as the cells were obtained on or prior to August 9, 2001. Since then, the government has funded research on over 22 stem cell lines. President Bush’s … Read More

Obama Changes Stem Cell Policy, Talks Cloning

ChelseaCloning, Politics, Stem Cell Research2 Comments

Yesterday President Obama did what we all knew he would do in office – overturn the Bush stem cell policy via executive order. Yuval Levin has an excellent commentary on this (h/t Paul). Cloning was also apparently on the mind of the president as he signed this new executive order as he said in his remarks yesterday morning: “we will … Read More