This makes common and fiscal sense in my opinion.
By GARDINER HARRIS
Published: July 6, 2009
WASHINGTON ? The Obama administration released final rules governing stem cell research on Monday that will allow many older stem cell lines to be eligible for federally financed research.
The changes came in response to criticism from scientists that the rules that the administration proposed in April ? requiring that donors of fertilized eggs sign extensive consent forms ? would have made even some of the stem cell lines approved by the Bush administration ineligible for further money.
Dr. Raynard S. Kington, acting director of the National Institutes of Health, said in a news conference that his agency would insist that any scientists creating stem cell lines after Tuesday follow the new rules to the letter for their work to be eligible.
Scientists using stem cell lines created before Tuesday may seek review by a group of the Advisory Committee to the Director. If the lines were created under conditions that met the spirit but not the letter of the new rules, they will be approved, Dr. Kington said.
?Many of the lines already in existence may have met very rigorous standards of informed consent but may have been implemented in ways not consistent with the present guidelines,? Dr. Kington said. ?It?s unreasonable to retroactively apply procedures intended for future use.?
The crucial test is whether the embryos used to create the stem cell lines were created for reproductive purposes, and whether donors freely consented for their use in research procedures, Dr. Kington said. Some researchers had used videos in addition to written forms, and such a minor difference in process should not render the work ineligible for financing, Dr. Kington said.
Some older stem cell lines will be eligible, but he refused to speculate which of the older lines would be approved. The committee will also review the eligibility of stem cell lines created in other countries, where different rules may apply.
?I?m very pleased they have taken feedback of an overwhelming majority of the scientific community and responded with a science-friendly proposal,? said Dr. George Q. Daley, director of the stem cell transplantation program at Children?s Hospital Boston.
Dr. Daley also praised the agency for creating a registry of stem cell lines that meet the agency?s approval.
?Every institution shouldn?t have to rediscover which cell lines are eligible for N.I.H. funding, so having a registry is very practical,? Dr. Daley said.
The rules still forbid financing of research using stem cell lines from embryos created solely for research.
With more than $10 billion in stimulus money, health institute officials have been eager to expand stem cell research. Just 21 stem cell lines have been eligible for federal financing under the old rules. But researchers using private money have created more than 700 stem cell lines.
By GARDINER HARRIS
Published: July 6, 2009
WASHINGTON ? The Obama administration released final rules governing stem cell research on Monday that will allow many older stem cell lines to be eligible for federally financed research.
The changes came in response to criticism from scientists that the rules that the administration proposed in April ? requiring that donors of fertilized eggs sign extensive consent forms ? would have made even some of the stem cell lines approved by the Bush administration ineligible for further money.
Dr. Raynard S. Kington, acting director of the National Institutes of Health, said in a news conference that his agency would insist that any scientists creating stem cell lines after Tuesday follow the new rules to the letter for their work to be eligible.
Scientists using stem cell lines created before Tuesday may seek review by a group of the Advisory Committee to the Director. If the lines were created under conditions that met the spirit but not the letter of the new rules, they will be approved, Dr. Kington said.
?Many of the lines already in existence may have met very rigorous standards of informed consent but may have been implemented in ways not consistent with the present guidelines,? Dr. Kington said. ?It?s unreasonable to retroactively apply procedures intended for future use.?
The crucial test is whether the embryos used to create the stem cell lines were created for reproductive purposes, and whether donors freely consented for their use in research procedures, Dr. Kington said. Some researchers had used videos in addition to written forms, and such a minor difference in process should not render the work ineligible for financing, Dr. Kington said.
Some older stem cell lines will be eligible, but he refused to speculate which of the older lines would be approved. The committee will also review the eligibility of stem cell lines created in other countries, where different rules may apply.
?I?m very pleased they have taken feedback of an overwhelming majority of the scientific community and responded with a science-friendly proposal,? said Dr. George Q. Daley, director of the stem cell transplantation program at Children?s Hospital Boston.
Dr. Daley also praised the agency for creating a registry of stem cell lines that meet the agency?s approval.
?Every institution shouldn?t have to rediscover which cell lines are eligible for N.I.H. funding, so having a registry is very practical,? Dr. Daley said.
The rules still forbid financing of research using stem cell lines from embryos created solely for research.
With more than $10 billion in stimulus money, health institute officials have been eager to expand stem cell research. Just 21 stem cell lines have been eligible for federal financing under the old rules. But researchers using private money have created more than 700 stem cell lines.