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Stem Cells

In Brief

In 2001 the Bush Administration severely limited medical research using embryonic stem cells, while allowing research to continue on adult stem cells. Many scientists, members of the public, and politicians - including Kerry - have called for the restrictions to be eased, in the hope of medical breakthroughs. Bush has held firm, claiming the policy does allow research to continue while being respectful of life, as use of embryonic stem cells require the destruction of embryos.

Learn about Stem Cell Research.

updated 9/8/04

In Detail

In 1995, Congress banned human embryo research from using National Institutes of Health (NIH) funds. Until 2001, no public funds were ever provided for such research in the US.1 In 2000 the NIH announced it would start funding stem cell research as long as the actual extraction of cells from embryos was done by someone else. During his Presidential campaign, Bush oppposed this move.2

In August 2001, Bush signed an executive order limiting research on embyonic stem cell lines to the 78 already in existence. To distinguish these existing stem-cell lines, Bush said, "The life-and-death decision has already been made." The August 2001 order bars federal funds from being used in the destruction of further embryos but does not impede private embryonic stem cell research, or federally funding adult stem cell research. 3,4

As the number of available stem cell lines has diminished, and hopes of medical breakthroughs from stem cell research continue to rise, Bush has received requests to revise his 2001 order by:

  • 58 Senators, including 14 Republicans, some of whom oppose abortion5,6
  • 142 patient groups, universities and scientific societies7
  • 206 of 435 members of the House of Representatives, including 36 GOP members4
  • 80 Nobel laureates, who urged Bush "to allow research on pluripotent stem cells to continue with Federal support, so that the tremendous scientific and medical benefits of their use may one day become available to the millions of American patients who so desperately need them."8
  • Nancy Reagan, the wife of former President Ronald Reagan9


    • Among the 58 Senators urging Bush to reconsider were Kerry and Edwards. Kerry promises to lift the ban on federal funding of embryonic stem cell research:

    "As president, John Kerry will overturn the ban on federal funding of research on new stem cell lines, and he will allow doctors and scientists to explore their full potential with the appropriate ethical oversight. Patients and their families should no longer be denied the hope that this new research brings."10

    Democrat support of embryonic stem cell research was highlighted at the Democratic National Convention when Ron Reagan, the son of former President Ronald Reagan, supported "what may be the greatest medical breakthrough in our, or any, lifetime", and asked people to "cast a vote for embryonic stem-cell research."11

    Responding to critics, the NIH says there is still much work to be done even within Bush's restrictions. 12 The NIH has sent out hundreds of shipments of stem cells to researchers around the world.13



    White House spokesman Ken Lisaius said, "The president does not believe that life should be created for the sole purpose of destroying it. He does believe we can explore the promise and potential of stem cell research using the existing lines of stem cells."5

    This was echoed by the Bush-Cheney campaign line that stem-cell research be conducted "in ways that respect human dignity and help build the culture of life."14

    To explore these moral issues, Bush established the Council on Bioethics in November 2001. 15

    Whether the appointment of technical personnel to federal advisory positions on stem-cell research has been politically neutral has been questioned, most notably by the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS).16 UCS charges of inappropriate political interference in stem cell advisory appointments by the Bush administration were not directly challenged by the Office of Science and Technology Policy. 17

    At the Republican National Convention, both Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist and Michael Reagan, former President Reagan's other son, defending Bush's stem cell policy. According to Frist, "an embryo is biologically human. It deserves moral respect;" embryos should not be destroyed solely for the purpose of experimentation.18 Michael Reagan has previously labeled embryonic stem cell research "junk science."19

    References:
    1. American Association for the Advancement of Science Policy Brief: Stem Cell Research
    2. "Stemming Stem Cells", 10/30/2003, Slate.com
    3. "Remarks by the President on Stem Cell Research", 8/9/2001, The White House
    4. "Congress challenges Bush stem cell policy, but president has support of GOP leaders", 7/16/2004, Baptist Press
    5. "Senators ask Bush to ease restrictions on stem cell research", 6/8/2004, CNN.com
    6. "58 Senators Call On President Bush To Expand Stem Cell Policy", 6/4/2004
    7. "Over 140 Patient Groups, Universities, Scientific Societies Urge President to Expand Stem Cell Policy; Patients Speak Out on Capitol Hill", 6/23/2004, U.S. Newswire
    8. "Nobel Laureates' Letter to President Bush", Wasington Post
    9. "Kerry touts stem cell research; Bush remembers Reagan", 6/12/2004, CNN.com
    10. "Supporting Stem Cell Research To Find Cures For Millions Of Americans Suffering From Debilitating Diseases", www.johnkerry.com
    11. "US Democrats embrace stem-cell issues", 7/28/2004, Nature.com
    12. "Gov't Just Says No to Stem Cells", 5/16/2004, Wired News
    13. "New Bill Would Expand Bush Stem Cell Limits", 6/23/2004, WebMD
    14. "Kerry Urges Bush to Ease Stem Cell Rules", 6/13/2004, Washington Post
    15. "Executive Order 13237: Creation of The President's Council on Bioethics", 11/29/2001, Council on Bioethics
    16. "Scientific Integrity in Policymaking", Union of Concerned Scientists
    17. "Statement of the Honorable John H. Marburger, III On Scientific Integrity in the Bush Administration", 4/2/2004, Office of Science and Technology Policy (pdf)
    18. LifeNews.com
    19. St Petersburg Times
    Additional References:
    1. Stem Cell Research Issue Brief, Student Pugwash USA
    2. "As stem-cell debate heats up, puiblic still uninformed and undecided", Ohio State University
    3. "Stem cell politics, ethics and medical progress", 12/1999, Nature Medicine, 5(12):1339-1341
    4. "The Politics of Stem Cells", 2/21/2003, Genome News Network
    5. "Stem cell research", Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance
    6. National Institutes of Health