PROMISE THEM ANYTHING:

Getting to the root of the stem-cell debate (Collin Levey, 8/12/04, Jewish World Review)

The primary source of the controversial stem cells is from excess zygotes created in fertility treatments which are typically discarded. In 2001, the Bush administration limited the federal funding of stem-cell research to some 78 pre-existing stem-cell "lines" from these sources. Of those "lines," some smaller fraction of them has been useful. The administration's decision to fund some embryonic research and not others is medically arbitrary, yes, but it does not remotely resemble a "ban."

Uncoincidentally, this is the same policy compromise that has been struck with abortion: There is no prohibition, but neither is there federal funding. (Stem cells are indeed this year's proxy for the abortion debate — one John Kerry would prefer to avoid head-on). Also in similar fashion to abortion, private groups have proved adept at raising the money to support new stem-cell research.

The Juvenile Diabetes Foundation is one such powerhouse of fund raising and lobbying. Recently, the group helped fund a group of Harvard researchers in creating a new batch of stem cells. Meanwhile, as of 2003, according to a stem-cell trade publication, some 61 U.S. and international companies were involved in stem-cell research — not quite the dark rain cloud Democrats say hangs over the industry.

As it currently stands, universities, which often get public money, continue to focus more heavily on less-controversial adult stem-cell research while private corporations, unimpeded by the federal funding issue, are now the ones doing more of the embryonic research. Universities such as Johns Hopkins have also continued embryonic research with private funding.

Now, the Bush administration isn't immune to criticism here — it has spent too much time downplaying, as Laura Bush did this week, the potential cures that could come from the research when few scientists, let alone politicians, have much reason to know at this point.

You shouldn't point out to people that scientists, despite their claims on the U.S. Treasury and our consciences, don't know much? Here's precisely what Mrs. Bush said:

My father died of Alzheimer's disease and I share the President's eagerness to find a cure for this devastating illness. I hope that stem cell research will yield cures and therapies for a myriad of illnesses. But I know that embryonic stem cell research is very preliminary right now, and the implication that cures for Alzheimer's are around the corner is just not right, and it's really not fair to the people who are watching a loved one suffer with this disease.

If the position you're advocating can't withstand that simple realism then you're in trouble.

Posted by Orrin Judd at August 12, 2004 9:37 AM