Rehabilitated Cells

The president of the U.S. Barack Obama cancelled the limitations on the research of embryonic stem cells, that were made by George Bush in 2001. The presidential decree, signed in a ceremonial and solemn environment in the White House, sanctions a great increase in government financial support for research in the area of cell technologies.

Embryonic stem cells are cells in the embryo of a human in an early development stage. What makes these cells so special is the fact that they have almost unlimited abilities to divide, and in some conditions can differentiate into cells of all kinds of tissues in the human body.

Theoretically, the transplantation of stem cells can become an effective method of curing neurodegenerative diseases, such as results of genetic anomalies, injuries, strokes, heart attacks, etc. Besides, the research of properties of embryonic stem cells is needed for the understanding of the mechanisms behind the development of hereditary diseases. And the embryo cells, being bearers of various mutations, could become a valuable “lab rat” for new methods of therapy.

The only problem is that the only source of stem cells are human embryos (usually embryos left after treatment of infertility by vitro fertilization. Bush’s administration stood up for the rights of these embryos. According to Bush and his loyal religious conservatives, the embryos formed by vitro fertilization are potential human beings, so their destruction in the name of science is non-ethic.

As a result, in summer 2001 a law that banned the use of government funds for the support research that used embryonic cells was passed. As a compromise, about 60 limes of embryonic cells (created before August 2001) were left to the scientists for research.

Very soon it was found out that only 20 lines were suitable for experiments. And most of them were made using old methods of growing them in a culture of mouse cells, that left the possibility of contaminating the cells with foreign biological material, that made them useless for further research.

The promise to end the politicization of science and return its values in the American society was an important point in Obama’s election campaign, that gave him great support from the scientific diaspora. After the inauguration, the revision of the stem cells policies were considered a resolved problem. Within the first couple of weeks with Obama as president, the Food and Drug Administration for the first time in history gave out a licence for clinical testing of a drug based on embryo stem cells, that was seen as a great coincidence by many observers.

But still, making a speech in the White House March 9th, the new president made everything possible to spare the feelings of religious Americans. In the presence of many guests (among which there were many scientists and representatives of patience organizations), Obama said that the contra-position of science and morals (of which the administration of his predecessor was based on) was a wrong alternative. According to him, taking away the hinders on the way of research of stem cells, he was behooved, as a believing man, to alleviate the suffering of near people. What goes for ethic questions tied to the embryo cells, the strict control in the area will be continued. Obama also promised to not allow any experiments on cloning of humans in the U.S.

Obama’s ordinance gave the government-supported scientists the possibility to use newer and more sophisticated lines of stem cells. Their origin can be embryos, given by clinics specializing in vitro fertilization. The couples, whose cells were used to create these embryos have to give a written consent on their use for the extraction of stem cells. Even with that, the researchers still won’t be allowed to purposely create human embryos with the purpose of solely experiment use. The National Health Institute now has to develop new rules on giving grants for researches of stem cells in about 100 days.

Rather moderate indulgences for the embryo cell research gave an expected reaction from religious conservatives. Organizations of people against abortions are now preparing massive protest actions (that are planning to include people, born from vitro fertilization).

But the presidential decree was welcomed by the stock exchanges: in the pleasant expectations of multimillion investments, the area of stocks dealing with stem cells of bioengineering companies (for example Geron Inc and Melno Park), increased in price in 20 or more percent.

In order to work, Obama’s ordinance has to be confirmed in the Congress. Very few are in doubt that the procedure will go without any obstacles: not only democrats, but many republicans as well support Obama in this question.