US government hearing on stem-cell research

A US Senate committee has heard the ethical and scientific arguments for and against government funding of embryo stem cell research, reported last week's Nature. Among those who testified were individuals who could benefit from such research, including US actor Christopher Reeve, who was paralysed following a horse-riding accident.

Embryonic stem cells - cells that can grow into any type of body tissue - could potentially be used to treat many illnesses, as well as spinal injuries. In the US, federal funding of embryo stem cell research is currently not permitted, although such experiments continue unregulated in the private sector.

Senators Arlen Specter and Tom Harkin are backing a bill that would allow federal funding for both the isolation and use of embryo stem cells. The bill, according to Specter, promises to spark 'a knock-down, drag-out fight' when it reaches the Senate, sometime within the next few weeks.

Some scientists and activists believe that research using adult stem cells is a more ethically acceptable alternative to embryo stem cell research. But Christopher Reeve, along with many scientists, argues that all avenues should remain open if the field is to realise its full therapeutic potential. 'Why has the use of discarded embryos (from IVF - in vitro fertilisation treatment) suddenly become an issue?' Reeve asked during his testimony.

An editorial in the same issue of Nature suggests that the bill stands more chance of success with the support of Arlen Specter, given his track record as an anti-abortionist.