DOES TIM PAWLENTY SUPPORT LIFE-SAVING MEDICAL RESEARCH?
08/22/2006
ST. PAUL (8/21/06) – During his tenure as governor, Republican Tim Pawlenty has failed to take a strong stand on embryonic stem cell research. The leader of his party, President George W. Bush, recently vetoed a widely-supported bill to end restrictions on embryonic stem cell research.
Will Tim Pawlenty separate himself from Bush and support this life-saving medical research?
Pawlenty’s stance on embryonic stem cell research has been vague and non-committal…
Pawlenty believed the president and Congress should decide the question of stem cell research. In response to DFL-endorsed gubernatorial candidate Attorney General Mike Hatch’s proposal to invest in life-saving embryonic stem cell research, Pawlenty’s campaign released a statement saying “the governor believes it should be up to the President and Congress to authorize and control any expansion of embryonic stem cell research,” according to WCCO. [WCCO, 7/30/06]
George W. Bush strongly opposes embryonic stem cell research…
George W. Bush vetoed a bill lifting restrictions on government-funded embryonic stem cell research. George W. Bush used his first presidential veto on a bill lifting restrictions on government-funded embryonic stem cell research, saying, “It crosses a moral boundary that our decent society needs to respect…These boys and girls are not spare parts.” [H.R. 810; Washington Post, 7/20/06]
But the medical community disagrees with the president…
Medical community agrees that embryonic stem cell research holds the real promise. The medical community is largely united behind embryonic stem cell research. The National Institute of Health (NIH), American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International (JDRFI), the Michael J. Fox Foundation, and others have emphasized the advantages of embryonic stem cell research over adult stem cell research. The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation noted that the belief that adult stem cells offer “the same, or better potential” for treating disease “reflects an incomplete understanding of the qualities of the respective stem cell types. While embryonic stem cells have qualities that give them the potential to treat a wide range of diseases and injuries, adult stem cells simply do not.” [“Stem Cell FAQ,” NIH Website; AAAS, 6/16/05; JDRFI; Michael J Fox Foundation, 7/13/05; Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International (emphasis added)]
Eighty Nobel laureates wrote to President Bush urging support of embryonic stem cell research. They wrote: “Some have suggested that adult stem cells may be sufficient to pursue all treatments for human disease. It is premature to conclude that adult stem cells have the same potential as embryonic stem cells – and that potential will almost disease to disease. Current evidence suggests that adult stem cells have markedly restricted differentiation potential. Therefore, for disorders that prove not to be treatable with adult stem cells, impeding human pluripotent stem cell research risks unnecessary delay for millions of patients who may die or endure needless suffering while the effectiveness of adult stem cells is evaluated.” [Letter from Eighty Nobel Laureates to President George W. Bush, 2/22/01]
Ruth Faden and John Gearhard of Johns Hopkins University say the science is unequivocal – non-embryonic sources of stem cells have nowhere near the potential of embryonic stem cells. “As much as we might wish it to be otherwise, no non-embryonic sources of stem cells…have been shown to have anything like the potential to lead us to viable treatments for such diseases as juvenile diabetes, Parkinson’s and spinal cord injury that stem cells derived from very early embryos do. The science here is unequivocal: access to embryonic stem cell lines is essential to rapid progress in stem cell research.” [Ruth Faden and John Gearhard of Johns Hopkins University, Washington Post, 8/23/04]
National Academies of Science says embryonic stem cell research is needed to advance regenerative medicine. The National Academies of Science has said that research on both embryonic and adult stem cells is needed “to most efficiently advance the scientific and therapeutic potential of regenerative medicine” and recommended that “research on both adult and embryonic human stem cells should be pursued.” [NAS, 2002]
Will Tim Pawlenty separate himself from the president…?