U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Penn., urged Congress Wednesday to loosen restrictions on federally funded stem-cell research, originally approved by President Bush in 2001. The impact on research at UW-Madison, which is a major source of stem cells, is still very uncertain.
Bush restricted federally funded research to stem-cell lines that had previously been derived. Specter's comments follow recent complaints from the scientific community about the limited availability of stem-cell lines.
\Big issues arise as to whether ... [Bush's policy] is adequate to carry on the research,"" Specter said speaking before the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services.
At the hearing, Dr. Roger Pedersen, an American stem-cell researcher at the University of Cambridge in England, described advances made in the field.
""We now have evidence that mouse embryonic stem cells can be cultivated to produce insulin in mice, thus alleviating the symptoms of diabetes, and to form cells that alleviate Parkinson's symptoms in rats,"" he said.
However, Pedersen added, ""the pace of discovery with human embryonic stem cells seems painfully slow.""
Eric Hanson, a UW-Madison senior is a stem cell researcher under Dr. James Thomson, the first person to successfully isolate and culture human embryotic stem cells. Hanson said he believes the time has come to loosen restrictions on stem cell research.
However, others involved with stem cell research at UW-Madison do not see the issue as pressing.
""I think the issue of stem cells not being available ... is a little bit overblown,"" said Andy Cohn, government and public relations manager for the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation, which first patented stem cell lines. He insisted WARF makes stem cells available to anyone.
However, Hanson said he believes the lack of new stem-cell lines delays new treatments.
""You've got any number of disorders ... [which may be] cured in 10 to 20 years. Maybe that timeline would be shorter if there were less restrictions on stem cell research,"" Hanson said.
Cohn said he believes once a breakthrough occurs, people will be willing to ease restrictions. Until then, Hanson said many researchers will refuse to go into stem cell research because of potential for further restrictions.
""I think that those states that make it attractive for stem cell researchers will have an advantage over those states that don't. ... Wisconsin should take note. ... We need a legislature and a governor that should be promoting stem cell research,"" Cohn said.
U.S Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Wis., has already taken notice, stating that many from across the political spectrum are voicing support for this research.
U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., voiced her concern as well, stating that limiting federally funded embryonic stem cell research hampers medical research.
However, even with funding, Pedersen said more work is needed.
""The efficacy of stem cells as medicines...[will] take some years to achieve,"" he said.
""Miracles that endure don't usually happen overnight.""
