A Vote For Science

McCain on Stem Cells

While I support federal funding for embryonic stem cell research, I believe clear lines should be drawn that reflect a refusal to sacrifice moral values and ethical principles for the sake of scientific progress. Moreover, I believe that recent scientific breakthroughs raise the hope that one day this debate will be rendered academic. I also support funding for other research programs, including amniotic fluid and adult stem cell research which hold much scientific promise and do not involve the use of embryos. I oppose the intentional creation of human embryos for research purposes and I voted to ban the practice of "fetal farming," making it a federal crime for researchers to use cells or fetal tissue from an embryo created for research purposes.

Nothing too shocking here. This is more or less the position taken by the Bush administration and the current state of affairs in the US. Although he does not say so specifically, it seems overall very likely to adhere to the notion that the currently existing lines of embryonic stem cells will be the only thing permitted to receive federal funding. There is some wiggle room in the language but until we hear more, a good assumption. The notion that other sources of stem cells are important is key and was not included by accident since it defines the policy approach to embryonic stem cells.

Although I am unsurprised at this adherence to the Bush policy, I don't happen to agree with it. In this I believe that the moral calculus is a bit absurd. If it is okay to use embryonic stem cell lines created in the past with surplus in-vitro fertilization tissues that would otherwise be discarded, why is it no okay to create new lines in the future from similar discards? It doesn't make a lot of sense if this is the moral perspective. it is either wrong or it is not. The science? Well a topic that ranges beyond this post for sure. You might start with blogger, doctor, once stem-cell scientist and btw, Christian Thomas Robey's thoughts. Nevertheless, in my reading and understanding of the issues suffice it to say that we need more research with more tools to realize the fantastic potential of stem cells in human health. Once beyond the moral calculus, this simply becomes an issue of science funding priorities in any case so it is a minor point.

The "federal crime" business? Yikes. Are we setting up for more Fed/State wrangling? What will it mean to create "for research purposes"? I can see some nasty interpretations. States like CA or MA might be ready to extend State permission for activities that would run afoul of McCain's position.

McCain on Scientific Integrity

We have invested huge amounts of public funds in scientific research. The public deserves to have the results of that research. Our job as elected officials is to develop the policies in response to those research results. Many times our research results have identified critical problems for our country. Denial of the facts will not solve any of these problems. Solutions can only come about as a result of a complete understanding of the problem. I believe policy should be based upon sound science. Good policy development will make for good politics.
I support having a science and technology advisor within the White House staff and restoring the credibility and role of OSTP as an office within the White House structure. I will work to fill early in my Administration both the position of Science Adviser and at least four assistant directors within OSTP. I am committed to asking the most qualified scientists and engineers to join not only my OSTP, but all of the key technical positions in my Administration.

Integrity is critical in scientific research. Scientific research cannot succeed without integrity and trust. My own record speaks for integrity and putting the country first, not political agendas.

Hmm, not much to work with here. "Sound science" is of course a tainted phrase since it has been used as a science-denial tool...in brief any idiot can pick apart any single study and disingenuously refuse to apply the skeptical, logical, but never denialist, synthesis of sometimes varying results that is the essential core of science. So that part is worrying. He does get it that the sidelining of the OSTP in the prior administration has been a big problem so that's good. One outstanding addition here is the inclusion of the part about "all of the key technical positions". I'm one that believes that some of the dismantling of technical expertise in, yes, the bureaucracy, that we have suffered in the current administration has already had very bad consequences. I further appreciate that once a bulk of institutional memory and experience has been lost it will take a long time to restore it. So if McCain is promising to address these often invisible issues, great! The rest is "trust me because I have integrity" but then what is any candidate going to say? I'd prefer some specific structural proposals that don't depend on his personal character, myself.

McCain on NIH funding and young scientist careers

Okay, actually the question was Given that the next Congress will likely face spending constraints, what priority would you give to investment in basic research in upcoming budgets? Nevertheless, I'm looking for two things that are closely related to my usual blog beats.

With spending constraints, it will be more important than ever to ensure we are maximizing our investments in basic research and minimizing the bureaucratic requirements that eat away at the money designed for funding scientists and science. Basic research serves as the foundation for many new discoveries and represents a critical investment for the future of the country and the innovations that drive our economy and protect our people. I have supported significant increases in basic research at the National Science Foundation. I also called for a plan developed by our top scientists on how the funding should be utilized. We must ensure that our research is addressing our national needs and taking advantage of new areas of opportunities and that the results of this research can enter the marketplace. We must also ensure that basic research money is allocated to the best science based on quality and peer review, not politics and earmarks.

I am committed to reinvigorating America's commitment to basic research, and will ensure my administration funds research activities accordingly. I have supported increased funding at DOE, NSF, and NIH for years and will continue to do so. I will continue my commitment to ensure that the funding is properly managed and that the nation's research needs are adequately addressed.

Ok, bad. NSF focus at best- which is bad for the NIH. A definitive tone in the last bit suggests that the status quo is just fine with him. I'm not seeing anything in this response that shows that he agrees with many of us who are focused on the biomedical research infrastructure, i.e., that we have a series of important problems that need to be addressed. No recognition of it in fact. Nada about the scientific workforce. "Addressing our national needs"? "...can enter the marketplace"? These are not good signs for those that believe in the virtue of basic research.

Now the most interesting thing here is the mention of funding via the normal processes of peer review and not via Congressional earmark. It is news to many scientists that some of our peers (or our institutes, really) look a bit like Swinius Porkbarrel, Ph.D. Well, the news cycle foofraw about certain scientific earmarks directed to Alaska brought this fact to a little wider appreciation. Although I doubt most scientists are aware of the degree to which cozy Congress-lobbyist relationships lead to scientific pork. Start here for one example of how this works. Perhaps McCain is planning to crack down on these practices? If it is part of his larger "reform" efforts, fair enough. If science earmarks are going to be part of a show trial while other larger categories of earmarks persist...not good. Look within the pool of biomedical funding, sure, I'd prefer the money go to the NIH for distribution the regular way. But if we think about the pool of the entire Federal budget, well, I'd prefer the money go via pork-barrel earmark to Random University for biomedical research instead of going to population poor states for bridges to nowhere.