US panel recommends federally funded embryo research

After six months of deliberation, a US presidential commission has decided to advise the federal government to fund some kinds of research using human embryos. A draft report of the National Bioethics Advisory Commission specifically refers to the recent breakthrough in human embryonic stem cell research, which offers the real hope of developing cell/tissue transplant therapy for many conditions. Taking a firm position in this controversial side-issue in that country's heated abortion debate, the commission concludes that a continuation of Congress' four-year old funding ban on human embryo research would be unfair on the millions who may benefit from resulting therapies. Earlier recommendations made by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) - also made in response to advances in stem cell research - had called for federal funding of research using embryo derived cells, although not for research on embryos themselves. Since these more conservative recommendations drew severe criticisms from the anti-abortion element in Congress, the commission's proposals are bound to escalate the already turbulent national debate on the status of the human embryo. However, there are some indications that American public opinion might be shifting. Last week, the Patients' Coalition for Urgent Research (CUR) released poll results showing that 74% of Americans are in favour of human embryonic stem cell research. The commission's report, due to be published next month, constitutes the second look at the embryo research issue in the last five years that recommends federal funding for certain kinds of embryo research. The previous 1994 analysis was partially approved by President Clinton but then rejected by Congress.