White House fact sheet on Bush stem cell decision

Following are excerpts from a White House fact sheet released on Thursday detailing President George W Bush’s decision to permit federally funded research on embryonic stem cells on a limited basis.

George W Bush: “I strongly oppose human cloning, as do most Americans”

“The president’s decision will permit federal funding of research using the more than 60 existing stem-cell lines that have already been derived, but will not sanction or encourage the destruction of additional human embryos. The embryos from which the existing stem-cell lines were created have already been destroyed and no longer have the possibility of further development as human beings.”
“Federal funds will only be used for research on existing stem-cell lines that were derived:
(1) with the informed consent of the donors;
(2) from excess embryos created solely for reproductive purposes; and
(3) without any financial inducements to the donors.

In order to ensure that federal funds are used to support only stem-cell research that is scientifically sound, legal, and ethical, the NIH (National Institutes of Health) will examine the derivation of all existing stem-cell lines and create a registry of those lines that satisfy this criteria. More than 60 existing stem-cell lines from genetically diverse populations around the world are expected to be available for federally-funded research.”

“No federal funds will be used for:
(1) the derivation or use of stem-cell lines derived from newly destroyed embryos;
(2) the creation of any human embryos for research purposes; or
(3) the cloning of human embryos for any purpose.
Today’s decision relates only to the use of federal funds for research on existing stem-cell lines derived in accordance with the criteria set forth above.”

“The president will create a new President’s Council on Bioethics, chaired by Dr Leon Kass, an expert in biomedical ethics and a professor at the University of Chicago, to study the human and moral ramifications of developments in biomedical and behavioral science and technology. The council will study such issues as embryo and stem-cell research, assisted reproduction, cloning, genetic screening, gene therapy, euthanasia, psychoactive drugs and brain implants.”

-- Reuters