The potential use of human embryonic stem cells to treat disease is so important that the government should put aside a ban on the use of human embryos in research, the National Bioethics Advisory Commission (NBAC) has concluded in a long-awaited report.
President William Clinton asked the NBAC in November to study the issue after privately funded researchers announced that they had isolated the stem cells, which have been heralded for their potential to treat diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, heart disease, and kidney failure. It is also thought that the stem cells, which can give rise to virtually any type of human cell, may eventually be able to be grown into organs for transplantation.
However, since November, controversy has swelled over the use of such cells because they must be isolated from aborted fetuses or embryos that were formed for in vitro fertilization but never used. So far, the government has agreed that federally funded researchers cannot isolate the cells themselves, but they can study cell lines that were generated by privately funded scientists. However, the NBAC's report says that relying solely on privately isolated cell lines "could severely limit scientific and clinical progress." The commission concluded that "although the human embryo and fetus deserve respect as a form of human life, the scientific and clinical benefits of stem cell research should not be foregone."
Although Mr. Clinton issued a statement on September 13 thanking the NBAC for the report, the statement did not indicate whether he intends to follow the commission's recommendations.
The report addresses a variety of considerations involving stem cell research, including scientific, medical, ethical, and policy issues.
For Your Information:
The executive summary of the NBAC's report is posted at http://bioethics.gov/stemcell_exec_intro.htm.
The full report is expected to be posted in October and is now available in manuscript form. An order form is posted at http://bioethics.gov/pubs.html.
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