Biomedical research took “a giant step in the right direction” Sunday as Gov. Gray Davis of California signed into law a bill allowing state funds to be used in research involving embryonic stem cells.
The move is in contrast to a federal policy that limits federally financed embryonic stem-cell research to cells registered by the National Institute of Health. Now, researchers in California can use embryonic stem cells from any source.
A team of scientists, politicians, actors and researchers convened for a teleconference to discuss the law.
“Stem-cell research is responsible research with the possibility to save millions of lives,” said Gov. Gray Davis. “I am determined to keep California at the forefront of medical research and scientific innovation. This bill is a giant step in the right direction.”
The policy announced by President Bush in August 2001 limited federal funding to lines of stem cells that already existed. All of those lines are derived from adult sources or from excess embryos from fertility clinics.
The bill, SB 253, introduced by Sen. Deborah Ortiz, D-Sacramento, contains fewer restrictions and will go into effect Jan. 1.
“We will be the only state in the nation to say that it is appropriate for the state to embark upon stem-cell research and not limit it totally to adult stem cells,” Ortiz said. ” We have a problem in this country and across the world. That problem is millions of Americans and hundreds of millions of people suffer from very serious diseases. When we calculate the cost of the health care system, when we calculate the cost of human suffering and pain, and when we understand the promise of that next level treatment — specifically spinal-cord injuries, Alzheimer’s, juvenile diabetes, Parkinson’s and cancer — this is the next level.”
SB 253 allows researchers to use human embryonic stem cells, human embryonic germ cells and human adult stem cells. Ortiz said the research would require consent of the parents of embryos used in research.
The first stem-cell lines available for use were created in 1998 at the University of Wisconsin.
Since the discovery, federal policies have forced many scientists out of the country to keep pace with their research. Many have made the exodus to Great Britain, where research policies are less stringent.
Christopher Reeve, actor and spokesperson for the Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation, urged researchers to return to California to conduct research and extended a personal invitation to one particular scientist.
“California has once again stepped forward to lead the nation,” Reeve said at the teleconference. “Finally, an invitation to Dr. William Peterson of UC-San Francisco who felt compelled to move to England to keep up the pace of his research. Come back, we need you. California has done it again.”
Some have said the contrasting laws between the federal and state government is hampering research. Conference participants were critical of President Bush’s restrictions and a failed Congressional Bill, S 1899, that would have criminalized laws like the one California is currently undertaking.
Jerry Zucker, a producer and director of motion pictures in California and founder of Cures Now, a group advocating stem cell research, said the government needs to lessen restrictions on research while increasing funding. Zucker has a 12-year-old daughter with Type 1 Diabetes.
“The greatest obstacle to finding a cure for our daughter was our own government,” Zucker said. “We had to spend our times and resources fighting to prevent the government for doing the research necessary to find a cure for our daughter. But our government not to interfere is not enough. We need the support of our government; we need the support of the scientists efforts.”
Alta Charo, a professor of Law and Medical Ethics at UW, said the situation in California is a great one and Wisconsin will likely reap the benefits.
“I think that the bottom line is that anything that moves this research forward, anyplace in the country or the world, helps Wisconsin,” Charo said. “We have some of the best scientists in the world working in this field, and any kind of research done anyplace helps the entire field move forward.”
