US Court Of Appeals Rules Stem Cell Research Remain Funded

posted on May 18 by Admin in the Disability Law, Disability News, Health, Healthcare category

New York researchers can continue critical stem cell research after a federal appeals court judge ruled that federal funding could continue. The ruling comes from the U.S. Supreme Court of Appeals and overturns the decision of a lower court that temporarily halted federal funding. U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth blocked the taxpayer funding last summer. His decision was put on hold pending appeal, so federal funding continued after the White House warned research costing millions of dollars would be lost if funding was halted.

Proponents affirm that human embryonic stem cells can produce any type of cell in the body. Some scientists hope the application of such research can address spinal cord injuries, cancer, diabetes, and diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

Opponents of stem cell research, such as the Catholic Church, say embryonic stem cell research takes a potential human life with each harvested cell.

The panel of 3 judges that make up the US Supreme Court of Appeals stated in their ruling that the majority opinion ruled that the U.S. law was “ambiguous” and “did not prohibit funding a research project in which an ESC (embryonic stem cell) will be used.”

Although this is hardly the end of the road and appeals are expected to continue, researchers are hopeful. Alexander Cartwright, vice president of research at University of Buffalo states that the ruling is “a good sign.” The University receives millions of dollars in federal funding from the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation.

Source: http://www.bizjournals.com/buffalo/news/2011/05/04/researchers-hail-stem-cell-ruling.html