The science world is abuzz with the news of South Korean scientists’ breakthrough in embryonic stem cell research. These scientists have managed to tremendously increase the efficiency with which stem cell lines can be created from unfertilized egg cells that have undergone nuclear transfer, and also – crucially – they have for the first time created stem cell lines that are genetically matched to patients that have a genetic disease. The scientists created 11 new cell lines, one of which was genetically identical to a patient who has juvenile diabetes and another of which matched a patient with an inherited immune disorder (the other nine lines match the DNA of patients with spinal cord injuries). There are more detailed reports from Science Magazine here and here (free registration is required).
On the national political front, the news is much as you would expect. President Bush has stated his intention to veto a bill pending in the House that would undo Bush’s policy of not allowing federal funds to be used for research that would create new embryonic stem cell lines – precisely the sort of research that the South Korean team just announced. The bill may well have the votes to pass the Republican-controlled House and Senate, though probably not by a veto-proof margin. So there’s no immediate prospect of federal funds being made available for this research, thereby guaranteeing that researchers in other countries will continue to outpace those in the U.S.
Speaking of veto-proof margins, though, the news on the local front is better: the state legislature has rejected Gov. Romney’s proposed "amendments" to the stem cell research bill and will probably ship it back to his desk soon. Romney, of course, will veto it, but there is no reason to think that the veto-proof majorities by which the bill passed the first time won’t hold up when it comes time to override. So the stem cell researchers at Harvard and other local institutions may have to continue to find private money to fund their research, but at least they don’t risk going to jail for it.
Here’s the bottom line on this. This research is happening NOW, and it’s going to continue to happen, whether Bush and Romney like it or not. Significant advances will happen, as they did in this week’s reports. Maybe the cures are going to happen – I certainly hope so. The big question is whether scientists in the United States will be participating in all of that, or whether we’ll be left in the dust of what could be one of the biggest advances in the biological sciences in years. One Harvard scientist was quoted as saying that even as things stand today, "we are going to be playing catch-up" to the South Koreans, and as the article notes, "the United States is falling increasingly behind."
UPDATE: The Herald continues to get it right on stem cell research.
Here are some links dealing with these same matters:5-20-05: Bernard Siegel, Executive Director, Genetics Policy Institute, previews “Stem Cell Policy and Advocacy Summit: Sustaining the Mandate for Cures” to be held in Houston, June 11-12, 2005, featuring Woo Suk Hwang and Gerald Schatten (Etopia Media Medical News Network #75)http://www.etopiamedia.net/emmnn/pages/emmnn75-5551212.html5-19-05: Korean team led by Hwang Woo-suk creates 11 lines of human embryonic stem cells from afflicted patients; moral issues remain (Etopia Media Medical News Network #70)http://www.etopiamedia.net/emmnn/pages/emmnn70-5551212.html