President Obama Undoes Embryonic Stem Cell Ban, Pushes “Scientific Integrity”
EmailBefore an audience of scientists and advocates sitting in chairs and wheel chairs in the East Room of the White House, President Obama Monday morning signed an executive order rescinding President Bush’s 2001 order banning the use of federal funding for research on new embryonic stem cell lines.
"I’m excited too," the president smiled when the crowd applauded his arrival, saying today’s action means "we will bring the change that so many scientists and researchers, doctors and innovators, patients and loved ones have hoped for and fought for these past eight years."
The president said that embryonic stem cells have the "potential to help us understand and possibly cure some of our most devastating diseases and conditions: to regenerate a severed spinal cord and lift someone from a wheelchair; to spur insulin production and spare a child from a lifetime of needles; to treat Parkinson’s, cancer, heart disease and others that affect millions of Americans and the people who love them."
There was tangible excitement in the room, especially for those with disabilities hoping that research can help them walk again.
"I’ve been paralyzed for 28 years," said Rep. Jim Langevin, D-RI, the first quadriplegic to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives, who was injured while working with the Warwick Police Department in the Boy Scout Explorer program when a gun accidentally discharged struck him. "I always believed some day I would walk again. It’s become more real now."
Langevin noted that the Democratic-led Congress will now "take the next step and continue our fight to have a bill in Congress that will codify this executive order that President Obama issued today and codify it in law so that no future president could ever put the kind of restrictions that President Bush had put in place. We’ll never seen those kind of restrictions again."
Said another attendee, Roman Reed, who broke his neck 15 years ago in a football injury, "JFK was first to put man on moon. Obama will be first to have paralyzed walk on Earth."
Reed and his family are active in raising money for embryonic stem cell research at the University of California at Irvine, and Reed’s father Don, noted that "JFK took America to the moon on mountains of money. It will cost a great deal of funding for this huge matter to go forward…Freedom to do research, without the funding, is empty.”
Referring to the research done at UC Irvine by Dr. Hans Keirstead — who with colleagues enabled paralyzed rats to walk again using embryonic stem cells — Don Reed also told reporters that "in 2002 we held in our hands a rat that had been paralyzed and walked again due to stem cell research. Human trials start in July."
President Obama took a moment to pay his respects to those who view embryonic stem cell research as the taking of a human life, noting that "many thoughtful and decent people are conflicted about, or strongly oppose, this research. And I understand their concerns, and I believe that we must respect their point of view."
He pledged that his administration would "never undertake this research lightly. We will support it only when it is both scientifically worthy and responsibly conducted. We will develop strict guidelines, which we will rigorously enforce, because we cannot ever tolerate misuse or abuse. And we will ensure that our government never opens the door to the use of cloning for human reproduction. It is dangerous, profoundly wrong, and has no place in our society, or any society."
That said, Mr. Obama said he rejected the "false choice between sound science and moral values….As a person of faith, I believe we are called to care for each other and work to ease human suffering. I believe we have been given the capacity and will to pursue this research, and the humanity and conscience to do so responsibly. It’s a difficult and delicate balance."
But anti-abortion activists such as Rep. Chris Smith, R-NJ, were not assuaged. Upon hearing of President Obama’s plans for today, Smith said “Despite the lack of progress in human embryonic stem cell research and despite all the new and extraordinary medical breakthroughs in the use of adult stem cells, President Obama remains obsessed with killing human embryos for experimentation at taxpayer expense."
“Why does the President persist in the dehumanizing of nascent human life when better alternatives exist?" Smith asked. "Human embryo-destroying stem cell research is not only unethical, unworkable and unreliable— it is now, demonstrably unnecessary."
Today’s move by President Obama also included a a presidential memorandum directing the head of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy to develop a strategy for restoring scientific integrity to government decision making.
The move, made as an implicit slap at the previous administration, would ensure that new policy would be based on sound science, with advisers appointed according to their "credentials and experience, not their politics or ideology."
The president made certain to avoid pie-in-the-sky pronouncements such as that of then-Sen. John Edwards, D-NC, who as a vice presidential candidate in 2004 told voters in Iowa that, "if we do the work that we can do in this country, the work that we will do when John Kerry is president, people like Christopher Reeve are going to walk, get up out of that wheelchair and walk again."
"The full promise of stem cell research remains unknown, and it should not be overstated," President Obama said today. "Medical miracles do not happen simply by accident. They result from painstaking and costly research — from years of lonely trial and error, much of which never bears fruit — and from a government willing to support that work. From life-saving vaccines, to pioneering cancer treatments, to the sequencing of the human genome, that is the story of scientific progress in America."
Speaking directly to advocates present, the president said he "cannot guarantee that we will find the treatments and cures we seek…But I can promise that we will seek them, actively, responsibly, and with the urgency required to make up for lost ground."
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And we will ensure that our government never opens the door to the use of cloning for human reproduction. It is dangerous, profoundly wrong, and has no place in our society, or any society.”
That said, Mr. Obama said he rejected the “false choice between sound science and moral values…
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It is most decidedly not false to say there will be a choice between sound science and moral values.
As jpt subtly points out, I believe, in the passage above.
Being against cloning for human reproduction is a *moral* value. Other issues will come in the future – attempting to grow a baby completely outside a womb, for example- will be a battle of science vs. moral values.
Politics and morality will guide science, and indeed should guide science. There are tough choices ahead of us, and they are not in any way false.
Posted by: MayBee | March 9, 2009, 1:44 pm 1:44 pm
Thank you President Obama! Thank you for bringing Science alive again! And those Sick Like Michael J Fox HOPE Again. and of course this will also Create Jobs
Posted by: Angie in PA | March 9, 2009, 1:57 pm 1:57 pm
Give me a break. “Science”??? AS. IF.
This is solely and completely about the Great Sacrament of the religion of Liberalism: ABORTION. There are numerous studies that have proven over and over that necessary stem cell research can, and has been done with stem cells from other parts of the human body, male and female.
This reversal is just more incrementalism into forcing as many abortions, of as many possibly types, as possible. Liberals want abortions to be as normal as sneezing. Thus we have the Democrat party, for whom it is more important to kill innocent babies, all the while coddling and pampering proven terrorists and murderers.
Not a surprise coming from the moral cesspool that the 0bama administration is proving itself to be. Barack 0bama is a horrible creature. I proudly do not support him or his administration in any way.
OBAMA = FAILURE
Posted by: JD | March 9, 2009, 2:01 pm 2:01 pm
MayBee—i agree with you about the complexity of the issue. i agree with you that morality should guide our discussion and consideration about science. i think the president appreciates that. he shows deep concern for human cloning and obviously strongly opposes it.
i think these discussions are essential and that nuanced debate is an obligation.
Posted by: Paul Wall | March 9, 2009, 2:02 pm 2:02 pm
The Republican Party likes to label the Democrats as promoting Socialism. Yet they are the Socialist Party when it comes to meddling into the personal and sexual lives of everyone else, whether or not they share the same religious beliefs.
It is very encouraging to see the government removing religion from its 8 year stranglehold on scientific health research. Claiming that stem cell research is equivalent to abortion makes as much sense as claiming eating eggs is killing chickens. Maybe there is a pill to cure people from religious hypocrisy.
Posted by: redrockraven | March 9, 2009, 2:09 pm 2:09 pm
At least 50 % of America wants science to use this tool to find cures for things like Parkinson and if that can be done and science can make advances in any deadly disease then this is a good thing. How can we live with the constant fear a science project will somehow compromise someones religious belief? I believe God gave us brains and that we need to use them or loose them.
Posted by: Bonnie Kimberly | March 9, 2009, 2:17 pm 2:17 pm
Thanks, Paul Wall.
You say:”i think the president appreciates that. he shows deep concern for human cloning and obviously strongly opposes it”
======
To me, the question becomes: why does he strongly oppose it? What makes it scientifically wrong?
I’m with you. I think we’re ill served pretending morality isn’t and shouldn’t be involved in science.
Posted by: MayBee | March 9, 2009, 2:17 pm 2:17 pm
I am pleased by the lifting of the ban, but feel compelled to point out a couple things.
First, my understanding is that — with the ban in place — much, MUCH progress has been made with adult stem cell research and now the two will be competing for funding. That strikes me as somewhat counter-productive.
Second, take the politics out of science? Please. Obama just did as much as he could to INSERT politics into science.
Just once, I’d like a reporter to point out the man’s incredible hypocrisy.
Posted by: Lizzie | March 9, 2009, 2:18 pm 2:18 pm
No doubt Mr Jim Langevin will be healed by the Messiah before year’s end.
And killing other human beings? No problem!
Posted by: Mitch in NC | March 9, 2009, 2:21 pm 2:21 pm
Ironic isn’t it …. today, Obama is pushing scientific research, while, tomorrow, he will kill it by nationalizing our health care system, and killing the profit motive for such research!
Posted by: Obama, the second coming | March 9, 2009, 2:39 pm 2:39 pm
“To me, the question becomes: why does he strongly oppose it? What makes it scientifically wrong?”
If I may take a stab at it, I would say that questions of right and wrong more the realm of philosophy than pure science. That is why science does need moral and ethical oversight.
Posted by: Skip | March 9, 2009, 2:43 pm 2:43 pm
As a group, Republicans ridicule those who fight against air pollution. They support endless war, and tax cuts for their rich friends. At the same time, they label all government attempts to ease suffering of the poor and the unemployed as “income redistribution” or socialism.
They inveigh against legitimate congressional public works earmarks back home, but are silent in the face of the organized thievery by defense contractors and Wall Street scam artists.
To capitalize on the recession, they invent economic data suggesting the collapse of the financial and job markets started under Obama instead of Republican George W. Bush.
Count on them to fear-monger bipartisan efforts to check the soaring price of health care.
Posted by: Freedom for Wall Street Socialists | March 9, 2009, 2:43 pm 2:43 pm
The Christo-Fascist Dictatorship is finally over. It’s amazing what whining hypocrites the Christo-Fascists are. They are their own worst PR. The Christo-Fascists who are opposed to the research should not be allowed the benefits of that research. They can pray for cures for their diseases.
Posted by: Sammy | March 9, 2009, 2:54 pm 2:54 pm
This is only controversial for conservatives and the religious right. A vast majority of real Americans support the president on this move.
Posted by: matt | March 9, 2009, 2:55 pm 2:55 pm
The Christo-Fascist Dictatorship is finally over. It’s amazing what whining hypocrites the Christo-Fascists are. They are their own worst PR. The Christo-Fascists who are opposed to the research should not be allowed the benefits of that research. They can pray for cures for their diseases.
Posted by: Sammy | Mar 9, 2009 2:54:33 PM
—————————————
I think the only people against this are against it when it promotes, or takes advantage of, aborted babies. Basically, they consider abortion murder and are – thus – against it. What part of this don’t you understand? Now, if this research can be done w/out aborting babies – and it appears it can – then, heck yes, of course we should be funding it and researching cures ASAP, just as we would w/ any disease research. Very few people are patently against it, thinking we should use only prayer to cure disease. But can we do it at least w/out killing babies? Is it really that much to ask?
Posted by: Obama, the second coming | March 9, 2009, 3:02 pm 3:02 pm
Hello, Freedom for Wall Street Socialists,
“Earmark” is just a fancy word for pork barrel projects. It’s when congressman put their re-election above the good of the country.
BTW, the socialists aren’t frequently on Wall Street, but more so in the Democratic Party.
Posted by: Mitch in NC | March 9, 2009, 3:06 pm 3:06 pm
“As a group, Republicans ridicule those who fight against air pollution.”
That’s not exactly true. I think most Republicans question some of the data that is used. Water vapor provides 95% of the greenhouse effect on earth, yet this is completely absent from evidence presented by the global warming… wait global cooling… wait global climate change.. wait… global chaos crowd. This creates an absurdly narrow perspective on the issue of pollutions, or carbon dioxide emissions, which every living mammal or animal breathes out, not to mention the majority of CO2 in in that atmosphere comes from natural sources.
Given the facts that water vapor is not represented in order to make the problem look much larger than it is, then take in the costly measures that some suggest we should take, it doesn’t make any practical sense.
“They support endless war”
Load of bunk. No one is for endless war. This more comes down to the core issue is when is war worth it. That will always be a debate. Framing it as endless war is childish mis-characterization.
“and tax cuts for their rich friends.”
The rich own businesses and employ people. They probably pay your paycheck. When you go after the rich, who pays, you or them? Whats more expendable to the rich, their pocket book or your job? You’ll lose that battle every time. Once the wealth is gone, or scared away, the economy will sink even faster.
“At the same time, they label all government attempts to ease suffering of the poor and the unemployed as “income redistribution” or socialism. ”
Not all, there are legitimate area’s of government investment, like defense, infrastructure, essential services. All of which can help job growth.
But let’s be honest, the whole class warfare instigated by the administration, or democratic party, to make tax payers pay more taxes to “ease the suffering” of those that don’t is pure and simple wealth redistribution and socialistic in its principle. It is a Carl Marx approach to government. You can try to say that it is not it, or relabel it however you want, but the truth is still there and it’s still ugly. Why is it ugly? Because it has brought nations to their knees, and even to collapse. Look at the former Soviet nations, they have a flat tax, abandoning much of the Marx principles. They learned their lesson, we’ll have to learn ours. Hopefully we don’t have to collapse like they did to learn it.
Posted by: KR | March 9, 2009, 3:08 pm 3:08 pm
This entire issue of stem cells comes down to the role of government in morality. Ask yourself this question, should government govern morality? Pass laws that pass morality on the people?
In many cases the government already does, with single partner marriage, steeling, etc. Governments are all based on a basic premise of morality, typically based on something that harms others or it’s citizens. It’s origins typically from the religious and moral convictions of it’s people.
Enter stem cell research on embryos. It is without a doubt, immoral to a segment of the US population, while others do not see it as immoral. In debates such as this, the only good way to tackle this issue is by a vote of the people. The people should decide if their tax dollars should be used to fund controversial research.
So for it to be decided, without question, put a vote to the people, not a pen to an executive order.
Posted by: KR | March 9, 2009, 3:24 pm 3:24 pm
“Given the facts that water vapor is not represented in order to make the problem look much larger than it is, then take in the costly measures that some suggest we should take, it doesn’t make any practical sense.”
Except that water vapor certainly is taken into account when estimates are made of the effect of greenhouse gasses.
“They support endless war”
-Load of bunk. No one is for endless war.”
Even Eisenhower warned us about potentially suspect motives in a war by the military-industrial complex.
“But let’s be honest, the whole class warfare instigated by the administration, or democratic party, to make tax payers pay more taxes to “ease the suffering” of those that don’t is pure and simple wealth redistribution and socialistic in its principle.”
We’re just redistributing the wealth back that the Republicans sucked out of the middle class over the last 8 years.
Posted by: Skip | March 9, 2009, 3:31 pm 3:31 pm
“Except that water vapor certainly is taken into account when estimates are made of the effect of greenhouse gasses.”
Really? If that’s the case, then man made CO2 contributes about 0.78% towards the greenhouse effect. We should take actions that just about everyone (credible) agrees would harm the economy, with even the most optimistic projections would lower to about 0.76%. Yes, lets induce harmful economic activities in order to save 0.02% on the greenhouse effect. Perfectly logical.
“Even Eisenhower warned us about potentially suspect motives in a war by the military-industrial complex.”
Of course. I’m guessing you are attempting to tie this to the Iraq war, when both Democrats and Republicans voted for it? Or is this explained by the really stupid Bush who some how showed brilliance in manipulating the intellectual laden Democratic party into voting for it?
“We’re just redistributing the wealth back that the Republicans sucked out of the middle class over the last 8 years.”
There is so many flaws with that statement. 20 years ago, it was all about the poor. When Reagan cut the tax rate on the rich from 70% down to 28% (its now 36%), they said the exact same thing, Republicans were redistributing wealth from the poor to the rich, which makes no sense. How do you get wealth from poor? Que the Marxist quotes… “on the backs of the workers” yeah, 19th century logic doesn’t apply to the 21st century.
Posted by: KR | March 9, 2009, 3:44 pm 3:44 pm
“19th century logic doesn’t apply to the 21st century.”
Let me rephrase that, 19th century industrial conditions do not apply to the 20th or 21st century. Much has changed, from which partial credit has to be attributed to the unions of the 1920′s.
But today, in the information age, industry could not get away with the things they did back in the 20′s.
Posted by: KR | March 9, 2009, 3:47 pm 3:47 pm
Stem cell research – THIS is truly great news!! Wahoo!
Another notch on the belt of the fledgeling administration (motto: “It’s the economy, stupid. And we’re gonna get to it after all the other really fun stuff that we can’t break.”)
Helloooo…someone explain to me how loosening stem cell restrictions will zap the economy in the near term.
Posted by: FishMonger | March 9, 2009, 3:50 pm 3:50 pm
“Really? If that’s the case, then man made CO2 contributes about 0.78% towards the greenhouse effect. We should take actions that just about everyone (credible) agrees would harm the economy, with even the most optimistic projections would lower to about 0.76%. Yes, lets induce harmful economic activities in order to save 0.02% on the greenhouse effect. Perfectly logical.”
You shouldn’t play with numbers KR, you might hurt yourself. No one (especially by coincidence most Republicans) wanted to believe that the little puffs of gas coming out of their cans of hairspray could possibly hurt anything either, until a huge hole in the ozone layer opened up over the South Pole.
Posted by: Skip | March 9, 2009, 3:53 pm 3:53 pm
thanks, MayBee—”To me, the question becomes: why does he strongly oppose it? What makes it scientifically wrong?” i think it is morally wrong in the sense of creating life. whether that be human cloning or “designing” life. i feel that if we stick with research for therapies for human ilnesses or genetic therapy we will be safer than if we start designing babies.
Posted by: Paul Wall | March 9, 2009, 4:07 pm 4:07 pm
“their cans of hairspray could possibly hurt anything either, until a huge hole in the ozone layer opened up over the South Pole.”
That’s a bit of a mis-representation of the hole in the Ozone. It was found in the 1960′s, and as far as scientists know, it has always been there. It naturally expands and retracts. Ever wonder why it’s no longer at the forefront of environmental activism? Maybe because science believes that the hole has always been there, thus making it a natural phenomenon?
I want clean air because I want to breathe clean air. But I want it done responsibly with minimal impact on quality of life and economic prosperity. These silly proclamations by activist groups who use fear and dooms day prophecy only hurt the cause.
Posted by: KR | March 9, 2009, 4:11 pm 4:11 pm
i think it is morally wrong in the sense of creating life. whether that be human cloning or “designing” life.
===========
I think in vitro fertilization is creating life (or at least the very start of it). I think genetic screening is “designing” life. I support both of those things.
I’m not for cloning, but I appreciate that is based on moral values. I don’t think there’s any way to decree it has no place in our society, except that most people don’t want it right now. The chances of a horrible error loom too large.
But…
What if a testicular cancer survivor wanted just one child with his wife and hadn’t frozen anything in advance? Would cloning really be that bad?
I don’t really expect answers. I think, as you said, there are many questions and public morality and politics will be guiding us forward. There’s no getting away from it.
Posted by: MayBee | March 9, 2009, 4:36 pm 4:36 pm
Reaction to today’s announcement.
FORMER FIRST LADY NANCY REAGAN: “I’m very grateful that President Obama has lifted the restrictions on federal funding for embryonic stem cell research. These new rules will now make it possible for scientists to move forward. I urge researchers to make use of the opportunities that are available to them, and to do all they can to fulfill the promise that stem cell research offers. Countless people, suffering from many different diseases, stand to benefit from the answers stem cell research can provide. We owe it to ourselves and to our children to do everything in our power to find cures for these diseases — and soon. As I’ve said before, time is short, and life is precious.
Posted by: Ryan C | March 9, 2009, 5:02 pm 5:02 pm
“I want clean air because I want to breathe clean air. But I want it done responsibly with minimal impact on quality of life and economic prosperity.”
The problem with that equation is for right wingers economic prosperity trumps all.
Posted by: Ryan C | March 9, 2009, 5:03 pm 5:03 pm
Hypocrites right wingers…
Just as JESUS said to the pharisees, Men/Women were not made for the Sabbath, instead the Sabbath was made for Men/Women (Mark 2:27).
Why the not also band blood transfusion and all other organ transplants?
If the stem cells are to be destroyed, why not using them for a good cause?
Posted by: jim | March 9, 2009, 5:37 pm 5:37 pm
Hi liberals!
“I want clean air because I want to breathe clean air. But I want it done responsibly with minimal impact on quality of life and economic prosperity.”
The problem with that equation is for right wingers economic prosperity trumps all.
Posted by: Ryan C | Mar 9, 2009 5:03:38
The problem with liberals is they buy wholesale the whole crap and trade nonsense. Just another way to introduce a regressive tax. This, based on “science” (promulgated most strongly not by a scientist but a hypocritical blowhard name algore who does more to spew CO2 into the environment than 30 thoer average humans). And, I think it laughable the excuses the liberals are coming up with today to justify obama’s obvious incompetence and mishandlingof everything from the economy to foreign affairs. I mean, reach out to “moderate taliban” indeed!
Posted by: Hawk | March 9, 2009, 5:45 pm 5:45 pm
Obama is years behind with embryonic stems cell research. Every country in the World is way ahead in this , even the Sweeds. Nobody now using embryonic cells, they already went beyond that. Obama is behind the times.
Posted by: Sandy | March 9, 2009, 5:49 pm 5:49 pm
Nice political shots obama got by signing this and reversing the evil George Bush and his suppression of science (an oft used ploy of obama is setting up straw men to slay, and this is no exception). BTW, soing research on adult stem cells avoids gny ethical question but is much more fruitful than embryonic stem cell research. But any day that distracts the gullible from the disaster that is obama is a good day for him…
Posted by: Hawk | March 9, 2009, 7:04 pm 7:04 pm
“BTW, soing research on adult stem cells avoids gny ethical question but is much more fruitful than embryonic stem cell research. But any day that distracts the gullible from the disaster that is obama is a good day for him…”
The only “distraction” are the right-wingers using this ridiculous talking point to claim a distraction. You are so gullible.
Posted by: Ranger | March 9, 2009, 7:31 pm 7:31 pm
i am just curious, if embroynic stem cell research is so promising, then why isn’t the private sector taking off with this, they would had been making lots of money and tax paying citizens would not have to foot the bill. and just to be clear, Obama just lifted restricted federal funding, under Bush embroynic stem cell was still being reserached, just was not receiving any federal money.
what is showing more promises and not getting enough attention is adult stem cells, so far that has been proven more effective than embroynic and the best part no one has to die for it.
Posted by: PA | March 10, 2009, 9:45 am 9:45 am