Robert Klein of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine talks about the obstacles his organization has faced getting off the ground. At left is moderator Roger Ashby.
The use of stem cells in medical research has become one of the most divisive political issues of our time. This year, for example, the State of California will fund embryonic stem cell (ESC) research at a level more than five times higher than that of the federal government. This funding discrepancy is indicative of a struggle over the highly charged issues involved -- President Bush has twice vetoed bills supporting ESC research and restricted ESC to 21 specific stem cell lines of such deficient quality that "some scientists thing that they′ll never be suitable for clinical use." So said author Eve Herold of the Genetics Policy Institute. In an unabashed pro-ESC session, she, Pete Coffee of University College London and Robert Klein of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine discussed the political controversy, life-saving potential and the way forward for stem cell research.
Herold provided an overview of the stem cell controversy, explaining the political environment and relating scientific issues to the ethical issues involved. She pointed out several alternative views of the ethical status of embryos and how they related to different policy stances on the issue -- specifically, that those who view embryos as full-fledged human beings tend to fall under the umbrella of Catholics and evangelical protestants opposed to abortion.
However, she pointed out, there is a significant distinction "between an embryo outside the body and a pregnancy under way." She relayed a lesser-known fact that embryos used at the stage of stem cell research have only 30 percent to 40 percent chance of leading to a successful pregnancy, even under the best conditions. Furthermore, she argued, such an embryo has no differentiated nerve cells, and thus there is no way the embryo could experience either consciousness or pain. Rather, she advanced a more nuanced view that embryos outside the womb occupy "a special moral space," a concept that is important in determining how to balance the potentially tremendous life-saving gains from ESC against concerns over the destruction of human life.
While significant controversy over the ethics of stem cell research bubbles at the federal level, some U.S. states and other nations are moving on. Referring to the session title, Coffey pointed out that "in the UK, there is no war. The government is very proactive in promoting and continuing stem cell research." Citing the UK's establishment of a stem cell bank and funding of 78 research projects over the past three years, he described how his research in vision restoration could benefit greatly from human embryonic stem cell research.
Robert Klein, however, needed no convincing. He heads the newly founded California Institute for Regenerative Medicine, which emerged from the passage of Proposition 71 in 2004. CIRM has the task of responsibly allocating the $3 billion in research funds secured by the proposition. Klein says California's leadership role in stem cell research is so large that other nations are dealing directly with the state because they cannot deal with the current administration. California was invited to the International Stem Cell Forum, in which all other participants were nation-states. When it comes to stem cell research, he said, "California is serving as a surrogate (and) replacement for our country."
Overall, the panelists recognized the need for expanding embryonic stem cell research and the hope of new cures it would provide. States advancing their own research agendas, and advocates working to clear away common myths about stem cell research, were both important. In the end, stable funding is the key for this emerging science, and it is important for states and philanthropists around the world to advance the cause without waiting for the federal government and profit-seeking corporations. As moderator Roger Ashby put it: "The drug companies are hiding in the wings, allowing science to progress by donations and by charitable people." Once it has advanced sufficiently, they will step in, and all parties will eventually play an important role. After all, he added, "this is a race against disease. This not a race against states or against nations."
Global Conference 2013
Former Prime Minister Tony Blair, philanthropist Bill Gates and Strive Masiyiwa of Econet Wireless discuss advancing prosperity in Africa.
