“Here’s a man who really knows science and who really knows government,” Specter said. “So it is a very, very profound change. It’s an earthquake.”
That’s a quote from Sen. Arlen Specter, concerning the shift in position on Federally funded stem cell research made by Senate majority leader, Sen. Bill Frist. Frist said this week that he “…also strongly believes, as do countless other scientists, clinicians and doctors, that embryonic stem cells uniquely hold specific promise for some therapies and potential cures that adult stem cells just cannot provide.” This is quite a break from the Republican party line, which has largely ignored the scientific promise of such a federal investment and focused on the narrow ethical argument.
This is good for progress in this area. Finally, perhaps the government can open the funding envelope for this promising biomedical field so that the scientific and ethical debate can proceed with all the facts. I do wonder, however, how this and any potential future federal funding will affect the state measures taken in places like California. This could present an interesting Federal vs. state issue!
