Studies on diseases like ALS, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and Huntington's jeopardized if GOP-controlled Congress cuts funding for embryonic stem cell research.
In 2010, when renowned stem cell scientist Lawrence Goldstein, PhD, published his groundbreaking book Stem Cells for Dummies, with co-author Meg Schneider, the forecast for human embryonic stem cell research had just begun to brighten.
In 2001, former President George W. Bush cast a cloud over this field of science by barring the National Institutes of Health (NIH) from funding research that used embryonic stem cells beyond the 60 cell lines that already existed.
But in 2009, then-President Barack Obama signed an executive order repealing Bushs policy.
Obamas decision enabled researchers like Goldstein, director of the UC San Diego Stem Cell Program, and Sanford Stem Cell Clinical Center, to make real progress, inching closer to human clinical trials.
Goldsteins work focuses on discovering clinical applications for human embryonic stem cells, also known as ESC.
His work looks specifically at clinical applications for neurodegenerative diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and Alzheimers, Parkinsons, and Huntingtons diseases.
After 10 years, weve seen a variety of projects that use embryonic stem cells moving closer to clinical applications and in clinical trials, Goldstein told Healthline.
Although its taken some time, were getting closer to seeing the most promising approach for treatment of different neurologic disorders that have no suitable treatment alternative.
Read more: Stem cells therapy offers hope for MS remission
But now use of human embryonic stem cells are once again under fire from conservative and pro-life groups.
Contrary to popular belief, human embryonic stem cells do not come from aborted fetuses.
All the human embryonic stem cell lines currently in use are derived from unused embryos developed for in vitro fertilization and donated for research.
They are cells that would have only been discarded.
Nevertheless, their use in research is opposed by many in the pro-life movement, including a vocal coalition in Congress.
Last month, 41 conservatives in the House urged President Trump to fire Dr. Francis Collins, director of the NIH, the worlds largest agency funding biomedical research, because Collins supports embryonic stem cell research.
However, Trump announced last week he was reappointing Collins, a widely respected physician-geneticist.
Several Republican leaders in Congress had reportedly urged Trump to retain him, calling Collins the right person, at the right time, to continue to lead the worlds premiere biomedical research agency.
But Trumps decision didnt sit well with many in his voting base and his own cabinet.
Vice President Mike Pence, and Health and Human Services Secretary, Tom Price, have both spoken out against the use of embryonic stem cells on moral grounds.
Just a few weeks ago, Pence got a standing ovation at the National Catholic Prayer Breakfast when he reminded the audience that he was the one who cast the tie-breaking vote in the United States Senate that allowed states to defund Planned Parenthood.
The Congressional conservatives who called on Trump to fire Collins are voicing their anger over Trumps decision to retain Collins.
Rep. Jim Banks, R-Ind., told LifeNews, a pro-life publication, that he was disappointed in the Trump Administrations decision.
Dr. Collins support of embryonic stem cell research, along with his comments that cloned embryos do not deserve the same moral protections as naturally generated embryos, make him a less than an ideal fit for a pro-life administration, Banks said. I am hopeful that Dr. Collins will turn away from embryo-killing research as he continues his tenure as NIH director.
Trumps election has resulted in a new and unprecedentedly tenuous era for the NIH. Its funding has typically had bipartisan support.
Despite Trumps seemingly pro-science pivot, the NIH still faces a potential $5.8 billion cut about 18 prevent in the presidents fiscal 2018 budget.
And this plank from the 2016 GOP platform remains in place:
We oppose embryonic stem cell research. We oppose federal funding of embryonic stem cell research. We support adult stem cell research and urge the restoration of the national placental stem cell bank created by President George H.W. Bush but abolished by his Democratic successor, President Bill Clinton.
Goldstein and several other scientists interviewed for this story said that while Trumps decision to retain Collins is a positive, theres still no guarantee that embryonic stem cell research will continue getting support from the federal government in this increasingly hostile and volatile political climate.
While human embryonic stem cells are just one of several types of stem cells being studied for their innate, but complex, abilities to treat diseases, Goldstein explained, they are an important weapon in a growing arsenal.
It takes a great deal of time, money, and patience to develop these therapies, he noted.
It would be a shame to go back to the dark age solution that we had under the Bush administration, said Goldstein, who is currently focused largely on ALS, also known as Lou Gehrigs disease, named for the legendary New York Yankee.
Gehrig died from the disease at age 37.
Goldstein said a lot of individuals and institutions are working to find treatments for ALS, which has enjoyed a boost in awareness and funding thanks to the recent Ice Bucket Challenge that caught on nationwide.
Its important that we develop an aggressive set of cell therapy programs so that we have multiple shots on goal, Goldstein said. We need to attack the disease from as many angles as possible.
Read more: Stem cell therapy a possible treatment for RA
For the last 25 years, Frances Saldaa has been on a mission to increase awareness of Huntingtons disease (HD), a debilitating, incurable, and often inherited disease.
Its become my mission in life to advocate for support of HD research and for excellence in patient care, said Saldaa, whose husband, Hector Portillo, didnt tell her he had the disease.
Three of their children inherited HD from their father. Both of Saldaas daughters have died, and her son is not doing well.
My son Michael is fighting for his life every single day, but time is running out for him too, she said. The suffering endured at the end of life for HD patients is unimaginable. My daughter, Margie, and her husband did not have the money to go through IVF when they started their family. They had two beautiful children. I live in fear that my two grandchildren, now 19 and 21, are also at risk of inheriting HD.
When Saldaa learned that members of Congress were urging President Trump to fire Collins, her heart sank.
To have the door close on this research because they have this belief would be tragic, she said. In my opinion, an embryonic egg is not life until its attached to the placenta.
Saldaa said that if she had the opportunity, she would ask people who oppose this research, Have they ever seen their own children dying devastating deaths? Have they ever seen their own children lose the ability to talk, to swallow? Have they ever had their own child die in their arms, and yet know that there is hope, that there is a chance with this research to find a cure?
Ive dedicated my life to supporting this research, from Team Hope walks to bake sales, everything and anything to find a cure, she said.
Leslie Thompson, PhD, a professor of psychiatry and human behavior, and professor of neurobiology and behavior, at the University of California Irvine, has devoted her entire career to unlocking the mysteries of Huntingtons disease and finding treatments.
Thompson, who said many of her patients with HD are like family, said human embryonic stem cells present great hope for finding a treatment for HD.
And after decades of painstaking study, she told Healthline that her work could lead to human clinical trials for people with HD as soon as two or three years from now.
Thompson keeps a picture of Saldaas children in her office to remind her of what her research is really all about.
Im deeply concerned how this could move the field backwards, she said, but added that she is hopeful her work and that of others will be allowed to continue.
Were in an exciting, unprecedented time of opportunity to use stem cells for treatments, she said.
When former President George W. Bush decided to halt new human embryonic stem cell research, Saldaa recalled, We all jumped and went toward getting Prop 71 passed.
The California Stem Cell Research and Cures Initiative, which was passed by a 60-40 margin, was drafted by the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine. It has provided millions of dollars in stem cell research in the state, including embryonic stem cell research.
The public vote on this initiative has helped California become the national leader in stem cell research.
There is also solidarity in the stem cell community. Even scientists who dont use human embryonic stem cells still support their colleagues who do.
Jeanne Loring, PhD, a professor of developmental neurobiology, and director of the Center for Regenerative Medicine at the Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, Calif., made the shift about a decade ago from human embryonic stem cells to induced pluripotent stem cells (IPS), which she makes from cells cultured from skin biopsies.
There are certain advantages to IPS, she said, but added that she still fully supports embryonic stem cell research.
Its hard to predict what President Trump will do, said Loring, whose lab is working on finding treatments for Parkinsons disease, discovering the cause of autism, ways to treat it, and more.
Loring notes that there are great misunderstandings about embryonic stem cell research and where the cells come from.
There is always an undercurrent of misunderstanding about sources of human stem cells. People think they are associated with abortion but they are not. she said.
Read more: Using stem cells to heal broken bones
What lies ahead for human embryonic stem cell research is anyones guess.
When Obama signed the order to lift Bushs ban on new embryonic stem cell research, he said, In recent years, when it comes to stem cell research, rather than furthering discovery, our government has forced what I believe is a false choice between sound science and moral values.
In this case, I believe the two are not inconsistent. As a person of faith, I believe we are called to care for each other and work to ease human suffering. I believe we have been given the capacity and will to pursue this research and the humanity and conscience to do so responsibly.
Goldstein said he hopes Trump, too, will embrace the importance of this research that seeks to find treatments for deadly diseases.
Its early in this administration, there is still time for them to staff up with people who will give the President the appropriate scientific advice, Goldstein said. There are many challenges facing us that are technological in nature. You cant have a humming economy without robust investment in science. It drives the development of new technologies and devices. An investment in science pays far more than what you put in.
Goldstein said investing heavily in science has helped give the United States the quality of life that Americans now enjoy.
Our investments in science and technology are likely the reason for winning World War II, he said. And our investment in biotech has revolutionized medicine and has been invaluable to providing jobs in many states.
Here is the original post:
Is Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research in Jeopardy? - Healthline - Healthline
- Politics of Stem Cell Research - May 7th, 2011 [May 7th, 2011]
- Obama Ends Funding Ban for Stem Cell Research - May 8th, 2011 [May 8th, 2011]
- Stem Cell Research: A Father's Fight - May 10th, 2011 [May 10th, 2011]
- Human Embryonic stem cell research - May 11th, 2011 [May 11th, 2011]
- Frost Over The World - Stem Cell Research and Turkey -26 Oct - May 20th, 2011 [May 20th, 2011]
- McCain Favors Embryonic Stem Cell Research - May 20th, 2011 [May 20th, 2011]
- US divided over stem cell research reversal - 09 Mar 09 - May 21st, 2011 [May 21st, 2011]
- The Politics and Promise of Stem Cell Research - May 22nd, 2011 [May 22nd, 2011]
- Inside Story - Obama to end stem cell research ban - March 9 - Part1 - May 30th, 2011 [May 30th, 2011]
- Cardiovascular Therapies: Spotlight on Stem Cell Research - Douglas Boyd - June 3rd, 2011 [June 3rd, 2011]
- The Human Embryo and Embryonic Stem Cell Biology: Spotlight on Stem Cell Research - June 3rd, 2011 [June 3rd, 2011]
- US appeals court lifts stem cell research ban - June 7th, 2011 [June 7th, 2011]
- Trailer for Mapping Stem Cell Research: Terra Incognita - June 9th, 2011 [June 9th, 2011]
- Politics: President Obama on Stem Cell Research - June 10th, 2011 [June 10th, 2011]
- Stem Cell Research Documentary - June 11th, 2011 [June 11th, 2011]
- TEDxSingapore - Susan Lim - Hype and hope of stem cell research - June 13th, 2011 [June 13th, 2011]
- Lou Gehrig's Disease (ALS): Spotlight on Stem Cell Research - Wrapup - June 14th, 2011 [June 14th, 2011]
- The Next Frontier in Stem Cell Research - June 17th, 2011 [June 17th, 2011]
- Robert Klein: Stem Cell Research - June 22nd, 2011 [June 22nd, 2011]
- Fibrocell Stem-Cell Wrinkle Smoother Wins FDA Clearance - June 23rd, 2011 [June 23rd, 2011]
- The Politics of Stem Cell Research - June 23rd, 2011 [June 23rd, 2011]
- A Dose of Reality on Alternative Stem Cell Treatments: What you don't know can hurt you - June 28th, 2011 [June 28th, 2011]
- Governor Tim Pawlenty Discusses Stem Cell Research - June 30th, 2011 [June 30th, 2011]
- The EU and stem cell research - July 5th, 2011 [July 5th, 2011]
- Parkinson's Disease: Spotlight on Stem Cell Research - Jeff Bronstein - July 6th, 2011 [July 6th, 2011]
- Cardiovascular Therapies: Spotlight on Stem Cell Research - Yung-Wei Chi - July 7th, 2011 [July 7th, 2011]
- Spotlight on Cancer Stem Cell Research - July 11th, 2011 [July 11th, 2011]
- A Stem Cell Story - July 12th, 2011 [July 12th, 2011]
- Bishop Blair bars support for Komen breast cancer group - July 13th, 2011 [July 13th, 2011]
- Stem Cell Research In Toronto - July 14th, 2011 [July 14th, 2011]
- Arthritis: Spotlight on Stem Cell Research - Introduction - July 14th, 2011 [July 14th, 2011]
- Huntington's Disease: Spotlight on Stem Cell Research 2007 - Han Keirstead - July 15th, 2011 [July 15th, 2011]
- TMconfUK2011-08 - Stem Cell Research in the UK - Prof Charles Ffrench-Constant - July 16th, 2011 [July 16th, 2011]
- UCSF opens stem cell research building - July 16th, 2011 [July 16th, 2011]
- HIV/AIDS: Spotlight on Stem Cell Research - John Zaia - July 17th, 2011 [July 17th, 2011]
- Deafness: Spotlight on Stem Cell Research - Ebenezer Yamoah - July 22nd, 2011 [July 22nd, 2011]
- Spotlight on Basic Stem Cell Research - Irv Weissman - July 25th, 2011 [July 25th, 2011]
- Diabetes: Spotlight on Stem Cell Research - Peter Butler - July 27th, 2011 [July 27th, 2011]
- Parkinson's Disease: Spotlight on Stem Cell Research - Arnold Kriegstein - July 27th, 2011 [July 27th, 2011]
- HIV/AIDS: Spotlight on Stem Cell Research - Loren Leeds - July 27th, 2011 [July 27th, 2011]
- Alzheimer's Disease: Spotlight on Stem Cell Research - Leeza Gibbons - August 2nd, 2011 [August 2nd, 2011]
- Geron's Embryonic Stem Cell Clinical Trial for Spinal Cord Injury - August 3rd, 2011 [August 3rd, 2011]
- The Skin Gun stem cell research - August 10th, 2011 [August 10th, 2011]
- Deafness: Spotlight on Stem Cell Research - Karen Doyle - August 10th, 2011 [August 10th, 2011]
- Stem Cell Research: Huntington's Disease - August 14th, 2011 [August 14th, 2011]
- Adult and Non-Embryonic Stem Cell Research Conference at Notre Dame - August 20th, 2011 [August 20th, 2011]
- Stemcell Research and Aging - Panel 1 - August 22nd, 2011 [August 22nd, 2011]
- Texans for Stem Cell Research Learn for Life: KXAN Coverage Aired August 16th, 2011 - August 24th, 2011 [August 24th, 2011]
- Stem Cell Research: Macular Degeneration - September 18th, 2011 [September 18th, 2011]
- Brilliant Minds - Stem Cell Research | Tomorrow Today - September 25th, 2011 [September 25th, 2011]
- Ethics of Stem Cell Research (1) - September 29th, 2011 [September 29th, 2011]
- Legal and Public Policy Dimensions of Stem Cell Research - September 29th, 2011 [September 29th, 2011]
- Stem cell symposium - October 2nd, 2011 [October 2nd, 2011]
- StemCONN 2011, The Latest in Stem Cell Research - October 6th, 2011 [October 6th, 2011]
- Arthritis: Spotlight on Stem Cell Research - Mark Genovese - October 7th, 2011 [October 7th, 2011]
- Judy Roberson: Patient advocates drive stem cell scientists - October 8th, 2011 [October 8th, 2011]
- Sam Harris - Stem Cells and Morality - October 8th, 2011 [October 8th, 2011]
- Stem Cell Research, Ethics and Religion - October 9th, 2011 [October 9th, 2011]
- Stem Cells: Fulfilling the Promise - 2011 CIRM Grantee Meeting - October 10th, 2011 [October 10th, 2011]
- The Skin Gun (Stem Cell research to replace burnt off skin. Done in 3 days!) - October 13th, 2011 [October 13th, 2011]
- Alzheimer's Stem Cell Research Patient Advocate Spotlight: The Faces of Neurodegenerative Disease - Video - October 18th, 2011 [October 18th, 2011]
- Life in the Balance: Perspectives on Stem Cell Research - Video - October 18th, 2011 [October 18th, 2011]
- Stem Cell Research Funding Halt - Video - October 19th, 2011 [October 19th, 2011]
- Vatican lending hand in adult stem cell research - Video - October 20th, 2011 [October 20th, 2011]
- First Spinal-Cord Surgery With Stem Cells - Video - October 21st, 2011 [October 21st, 2011]
- Michael J. Fox Embryonic Stem Cell Research - Video - October 22nd, 2011 [October 22nd, 2011]
- stem cell research - Video - October 22nd, 2011 [October 22nd, 2011]
- Gayle Atteberry - Cloning - November 5th, 2011 [November 5th, 2011]
- It Takes Nerve: UC Irvine - Sue - November 6th, 2011 [November 6th, 2011]
- Embryonic Stem Cell Research - Video - November 9th, 2011 [November 9th, 2011]
- Adult Stem Cell Research Far Ahead of Embryonic - Video - November 10th, 2011 [November 10th, 2011]
- Is stem cell research a growing concern .flv - Video - November 10th, 2011 [November 10th, 2011]
- Forbes Discusses Stem Cell Research - Video - November 14th, 2011 [November 14th, 2011]
- Stem Cell Research Presentation - Video - November 16th, 2011 [November 16th, 2011]
- Benedict XVI: No embryonic stem cell research - Video - November 28th, 2011 [November 28th, 2011]
- Batten Disease: Spotlight on Stem Cell Research - A Father's Story - Video - November 30th, 2011 [November 30th, 2011]
- CIS 111 Digital Media Project - Stem Cell Research - Video - December 13th, 2011 [December 13th, 2011]
- Regenerative Medicine and Applications of Stem Cell Research - Video - December 20th, 2011 [December 20th, 2011]
- Stem Cell Research Today: Larry Goldstein - CIRM Science Writer's Seminar - Video - December 22nd, 2011 [December 22nd, 2011]
- CIRM Bridges Award: Building California's Stem Cell Research Workforce - Video - December 22nd, 2011 [December 22nd, 2011]