1. transcript
  2. OpEd on Stem Cell Research Funding

OpEd on Stem Cell Research Funding

By apalazzo on April 18, 2006.

There is an OpEd on Stem Cell Research Support in today's Boston Globe by Christopher Thomas Scott and Jennifer McCormick.

From the OpEd:

The consequences of the Bush policy [on stem cell research] are profound and unambiguous. NIH officials admit the agency has ceded leadership in the field. Scientists no longer undertake hegiras to Washington to learn about important advances in stem- cell biology. Instead, countries where the research is encouraged have stepped into the breach, making new lines at an astonishing rate.

...

In 2002, roughly one-third of the papers were from US research groups. By 2004, US groups accounted for only one-quarter of the publications. Government policy may be among the factors contributing to the gap between US and international publications in the field.

Tags
science & society

More like this

THE DISCOVERY: What It Means for Framing & News Coverage
Conservatives are promoting Bush as the biomedical Atticus Finch. Shown here posing with a "snowflake" baby, adopted and born from left over in vitro clinic embryos. Some collected thoughts on what the stem cell discovery means for the framing of the debate, trends in news coverage and public…
A Presidential Questionnaire
Our partner on the ScienceDebate2008 steering committee, Alan Leshner, CEO of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and Executive Publisher of Science magazine contributed this Op-Ed piece to today's Philadelphia Inquirer: A successful president thus needs to be science-minded.…
NEWSPAPER EDITORIAL BOARDS REJECT BUSH VETO DECISION: NY Times Argues that Senate Bill Didn't Go Far Enough in Funding TC Research; Seattle Times Says This is the One Issue Worth Voting for Dems
Below I provide an overview of the Editorials printed at the national and major regional newspapers. Without exception, the newspapers denounce Bush's decision. Most go with the "moral inconsistency" angle: why prevent research that could save lives when the left over embryos at IVF clinics…
At WPost, MIT President Calls for Energy Manhattan Project
Following up on her testimony before Congress yesterday, MIT President Susan Hockfield writes in the Washington Post today that the U.S. needs a Manhattan Project-scale investment in renewable energy R&D. Drawing on the metaphor of Vannevar Bush's pact between government and science, Hockfield…

I might be missing something from across the pond, but wasn't discouraging stem cell research the whole point of preventing government funding?

Just an update on how things are getting worse.

As you point out - this is proof that a lack of NIH funding does affect the direction of research. (i.e. we can't rely on state funding)