Mitt Romney’s Department of “Public Health” recently announced regulations that, basically, gut the stem cell research bill that was passed over his veto a few months back. The regulations resurrect the specter of scientists going to prison for conducting research that, in any normal state or country, would be not only allowed but encouraged. Legislators have denounced the regulations and have announced plans to hold hearings to see what they can do about them.
The Globe says: “Paul Cote, the state public health commissioner, acknowledged that the rules were developed in ‘active dialogue’ with Romney’s office.” I am shocked! Shocked! Meanwhile, according to SHNS, Romney defended the new rules today with a truly bizarre comment: “Romney added: ‘It is Orwellian in scope. Its almost like the movie The Matrix.'” Huh?
Poor Kerry Healey has once again had to distance herself from the administration in which she works, stating that “the field of stem cell research is still rapidly evolving, and it is a mistake to impose regulations that could have a chilling effect on those individuals at the forefront of this emerging field.”
Deval Patrick quickly denounced the new regulations:
The Romney-Healey Administration is once again playing politics with the future of Massachusetts, looking for the next headline while ignoring our long term interests, said Patrick. This is exactly the wrong time to be sending the message that industries like biomedical research and renewable energy technology arent welcome in our state. They are the industries of the future and we should be embracing them, not creating more and more reasons to drive them away.
I haven’t seen any statements from Gabs or Reilly on the new regs. But then, we don’t get their press releases. — edit by Charley: I get Reilly’s. Nothing yet.
In the movie the Matrix, an angel, Maroni, visits a polygymous gentleman in New York State and gives him some golden tablets. He tells the guy to wear special magical undergarments and not to drink Coca Cola or Budweiser. He also told the gentleman not to cultivate cell lines from discarded embryos. The movie was awesome!!
How’s he supposed to wash down the tablets? 😉
Jon Lester may well benefit from the type of stem-cell research that Mitt opposes.
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He’ll get chemo, but his type of cancer has high chance of recurrence.
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In that case, stem cell (allogenic) transplant from donor is best treatment.
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Of course, donors can be hard to match to patients. Hence one need for the research. Can cell lines that help you fight your personal cancer be created in different ways, customized, etc?