On June 8, the Senate Special Aging Committee heard testimony in support of the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act (S. 471). Sponsored by Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA), the measure would allow the Department of Health and Human Services to conduct human embryonic stem cell research. Under the bill, stem cells could be used for research if they were derived from human embryos that have been donated from in vitro fertilization clinics. The House approved an identical bill (H.R. 810) on May 24 (see The Source, 5/27/05).
In his opening remarks, Chair Gordon Smith (R-OR) said that embryonic stem cell research “is one of today’s most exciting and rapidly advancing fields in modern medicine. It holds the key to potentially unlocking the secrets of diseases that have mystified scientists for years, namely Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. This becomes particularly important as our nation’s population ages and more and more of our seniors become afflicted with ailments that take as great a toll on the families of loved ones as the victims themselves.” Announcing his intention to introduce the Stem Cell Research Investment Act, he explained that the bill would “build upon S. 471 to promote cutting-edge research to fight devastating chronic diseases and health conditions. Modeled after California’s recently-passed Proposition 71, the bill encourages states to issue up to $30 billion in zero-interest bonds to fund their own stem cell research initiatives and provides bondholders a federal tax credit in lieu of interest payments.”
Ranking Member Herb Kohl (D-WI) agreed that the potential held by embryonic stem cells is “exciting,” but he noted that the research is “not without controversy.” He urged his colleagues to support S. 471, explaining that the research must be monitored by the federal government “to ensure that it’s done ethically.”
Dr. John Gearhart, a professor of biochemistry and molecular biology at the John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, explained that “although the first embryonic stem cells were not isolated until 1998, the field has advanced quickly as scientists have already made important progress investigating these cells. Embryonic stem cells are particularly valuable to medical research because they have the unique potential to develop into any cell type, meaning they could produce replacement cells for any tissue and have an impact on virtually every disease. Embryonic stem cells also represent the earliest stages of development, offering a unique insight into human development and the biology of disease. In addition, embryonic stem cells are capable of dividing and renewing themselves for long periods and can be grown easily in culture, lending themselves to investigation and distribution.”
Criticizing President Bush’s decision in August 2001 to allow the use of federal funds for only 78 existing embryonic stem cell lines, Dr. Gearhart argued that the policy “has fallen short of its original goals, as less than one-third of the stem cell lines…are, in fact, available.” He also noted that “the 22 lines now eligible for federally funded research are contaminated with animal cells, lack genetic diversity, are not disease-specific, and are not adequate for researchers to apply to a wide variety of diseases. Limiting researchers to work only with those lines with federal funding ignores scientific advancements and places unnecessary obstacles in the way of possible therapies and treatments.”
Testifying on behalf of the Biotechnology Industry Organization, Douglas Doerfler expressed his support for S. 471, explaining that the legislation “will allow federal funding of research using embryonic stem cells provided the cells were obtained from in vitro fertilization procedures that are either in excess or otherwise do not qualify for transplantation. The bill also requires the informed consent of the donors and prohibits any financial inducement to donate. Moreover, the bill calls on the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to develop appropriate guidelines to govern this process.” Mr. Doerfler said that embryonic stem cell research “will lead to greater scientific understanding of cell differentiation the process by which our cells become specialized to perform certain functions and proliferation the process where cells expand, or multiply for controlled use as a potential therapeutic. In addition, if this bill is enacted, more genetically diverse cell lines will be available for funding. Scientists will then be able to learn more about how and when genetic anomalies cause cells to malfunction. This could help researchers understand the root causes of many diseases and therefore lead to the development of truly breakthrough therapies.” Finally, he noted that the research “could also go a long way toward reducing the time and expense needed for drug discovery. Using embryonic stem cells in drug testing could be significant because of the cells’ ability to turn into all types of human cells. New chemical or biological compounds meant to treat diseases could be tested in specific human cells prior to their use in live human beings. In addition to time saved, this process could reduce adverse events from drug candidates because tests on human cells might reveal harmful side effects before the drug is given to patients.”
