States putting money into stem cell funding

Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich has committed $10 million to fund stem cell research utilizing embryos donated by couples who had undergone fertility treatments but are no longer needed because couples have stopped trying to get pregnant. This action makes Illinois one of a growing number of states funding embryonic stem cell research.

California voters have previously approved spending $300 million a year for 10 years on stem cell research, but a lawsuit is holding up the funding. Connecticut, New Jersey and Wisconsin are among other states funding stem cell research.

Four years ago, President Bush made a decision that federal funding of embryonic stem cell research could only be utilized for studies on existing embryonic stem cell lines that don’t destroy embryos. Today, new legislation is being promoted in the Senate “that promotes new, unproven methods of obtaining stem cells without destroying embryos.” TYL previously commented on this development.

States are laboratories for experimentation and regardless of the outcome of legislation in this area in the US Senate, the state programs should be left intact.