Although a number of national policies are set to go under the Bush administration’s microscope during his second term, one initiative is likely to remain untouched for the next four years: regulations and limitations over the federal funding of embryonic stem-cell research.
Bush previously started and limited federal funding in the same executive order, declaring only those stem-cell lines created before Aug. 1, 2001, are eligible for grants from the National Institute of Health. Those derived after the date may not receive federal funding.
The reasoning Bush gives is based mostly on ethical and moral reasoning. Bush, who opposes abortion, said he believes expanding federal funding for embryonic stem-cell research coming from new derivations does not adhere to medical ethics standards.
“This president has had to balance the ethical and moral solutions,” Chris Lato, communications director of the Republican Party of Wisconsin said, adding, however, that Bush’s refusal to restrict private funding for stem-cell research shows his commitment to science. “This is not a president who wants to prevent cures.”
In the entire spectrum of research, where the government hands out billions of dollars to a plethora of different disciplines, many Wisconsinites feel the Bush administration should re-examine its stance on stem cells, a field still in its infancy.
“That’s clearly a problem,” said Andy Cohn, spokesperson for Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation, a non-profit organization set up to manage patents resulting from University of Wisconsin studies. Cohn added WARF and UW’s researchers hope Bush would “realize” the benefits and lack of moral irresponsibility in extending funding for newer stem-cell lines.
Indeed, Wisconsin is set to benefit if funding would expand, but is also on the verge of suffering if something is not done. Cohn said he expects researchers to continue to receive grants and funding due to the university’s “expertise” stem cells.
“We think that Wisconsin is incredibly well-positioned,” Cohn said. “We have the best and the brightest working for us. They started this whole thing.”
However, Wisconsin now has increased competition from the state of California, which passed a referendum allocating $3 billion of state money toward stem-cell research. California could grant the money to both university and private researching ventures as well.
“Four more years of Bush combined with pressure from the state of California’s $3 billion stem-cell research initiative could really challenge the exceptional research and scholarship that happens here at UW-Madison,” U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., said in an e-mail.
Though Cohn expressed little concern over the issue of business and academic talent being pulled away from Madison to go to California, he did say it still remains a worry to think about. Whether the federal government does expand stem-cell funding, the western state would still have $3 billion more to spend than any other state at this time.
But current state funding efforts could be underway in Wisconsin, too.
“We want to take concrete steps to go forward,” Melanie Fonder, spokesperson for Gov. Jim Doyle, said, though adding there have been no specific plans as of yet. “I think right now, it’s a little too early to say [any plans].”
However, the possibility of quick national funding expansion still revolves around the president’s decision. And, as NIH’s Ralbovsky said, it does not appear that the president will change his mind any time soon.
