Joining Nancy Reagan, Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry calls on President Bush to remove restrictions on embryonic stem cell research, with Alzheimer's the timely hook:
- "We must lift the barriers that stand in the way of science and push the boundaries of medical exploration so that researchers can find the cures that are there, if only they are allowed to look," Kerry said in the Democrats' weekly radio address.
Bush has placed limits on stem cell research and opposes using stem cells from most embryos.
Embryonic stem cells have the ability to produce cells that make any kind of tissue at all, and the hope is to train them to produce tissues and organs on demand.
But their origin is controversial to some people because they are taken from tiny embryos left over from IVF or test tube fertilization attempts. They can also be made using cloning technology.
A White House spokesman said the president "continues to believe strongly that we should not cross a fundamental moral line by funding or encouraging the destruction of human embryos."
- Ending a self-imposed campaign hiatus that began with Reagan's death last Saturday, Kerry said, "We must look to the future not with fear, but with the hope and the faith that advances in medicine will advance our best values."
The presumptive Democratic presidential nominee would overturn the ban on federal funding of research on new stem cell lines and allow the exploration of their full potential with ethical oversight.
Researchers say embryonic stem cells could eventually lead to brain cell transplants for Alzheimer's patients. They also hope to use embryonic stem cells to treat other ills such as Parkinson's, spinal cord injuries, heart disease and diabetes.
Article comments
1 - Howard Owens
If I trusted Kerry on national defense, I'd probably vote for him. He's right on this issue.
2 - visualsimplicity
It's a worthy issue and I'd agree with the pro-research, but Kerry himself just sounds like he's jumping on the bandwagon.
3 - bhw
I don't know that he's jumping on the bandwagon as much as he is taking advantage of the timing. Nancy R. has been lobbying to get GWB to relax his stem cell research restrictions lifted, so when Ronnie died, that story came back into the limelight. Kerry stepped up to take advantage of the spotlight, which is a smart thing to do.
I can honestly say that I just don't understand the stem cell research restrictions. It's another one of those religion-imposed political positions that has no real biblical foundation.