Laura Bush, the wife of President George W Bush, has told interviewers in the US that the president's stance on human embryonic stem (ES cell) research remains unchanged, despite pleas from members of Congress, the Senate and others. She also voiced her wholehearted support for his policy on the issue.
Supporters of ES cell research say that it could lead to treatments - or cures - for injuries and for diseases such as diabetes, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. It is thought that former president Ronald Reagan's death from Alzheimer's disease, and his wife Nancy's campaign for ES cell research, might influence more conservative thinkers on the issue.
But Laura Bush, whose father also died from Alzheimer's in 1995, said that while Nancy Reagan is 'an excellent role model for families' who have to deal with the disease, she herself did not advocate any expansion of federal funding for ES stem cell research. In one interview she said that 'we need to balance the interest in science with moral issues', and added: 'We have to be really careful between what we want to do for science and what we should do ethically, and the stem cell issue is certainly one of those issues that we need to treat really carefully'. In another, she discussed alternative research that did not involve 'abusing embryos'.
Senator Bill Frist, the majority leader, said that ES cell policy that limits the use of federal funds should be re-examined after the November presidential elections. Meanwhile, a new bill, called the Ronald Reagan Memorial Stem Cell Research Act of 2004, has been introduced to Congress by Gary Ackerman. The bill proposes to allow federally-funded ES cell research to take place in the US: 'Let's win one more for the Gipper and pass this legislation', he said.
Sources and References
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Laura Bush Says Cannot Support Stem Cell Research
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Nancy Reagan's Support for Stem-Cell Work Puts Pressure on Bush
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First lady doesn't back stem cell policy change
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Bush Opposes Using Embryos for Research
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