Scientific breakthroughs suggest some types of adult stem cells may be as useful in research as embryonic ones, but lawmakers in Nebraska and elsewhere continue to debate whether laws are needed
TIMBERLY ROSS / The Associated Press | Posted: Tuesday, December 25, 2007 6:00 pm
OMAHA — Scientific breakthroughs suggest some types of adult stem cells may be as useful in research as embryonic ones, but lawmakers in Nebraska and elsewhere continue to debate whether laws are needed to prevent scientists from using human embryos.
Researchers studying embryonic stem cells in hopes of developing cures to diseases have come under fire because isolating the cells destroys embryos. Opponents believe embryos are the starting point of human life, and that destroying them is immoral.
A proposed ban on human cloning was introduced in the Nebraska Legislature in January, but senators didn’t complete work on it. There were hearings held on the bill during the past fall, and it’s expected to be revisited in the 2008 session.
In a pre-session survey of Nebraska’s 49 lawmakers by The Associated Press, 24 said they would support a state ban on human cloning to produce embryonic stem cells. Eight said they would not.
Two senators said they were not sure.
Fifteen did not participate in the survey.
Most embryos used in U.S. research are left over from in vitro fertilization — where a woman’s eggs are fertilized outside the womb and the resulting embryos are implanted in the uterus. If the embryos are not implanted, they are typically destroyed.
Embryonic stem cells are valued for their ability to morph into any of the cell types of the body. But scientists say new research shows skin cells may also be able to do that.
Research using adult and umbilical stem cells has not been controversial because those cells are not derived from embryos.
The Human Cloning Prohibition Act proposed by Sen. Mark Christensen of Imperial would bar reproductive cloning and the creation of embryos for stem cell research using a technique called somatic cell nuclear transfer — more commonly referred to as therapeutic cloning.
Sen. Tony Fulton of Lincoln said he would support the ban because there may not be enough human embryos to sustain research because harvesting eggs from women is a complicated and painful process. He also said researchers are programming adult stem cells to act like embryonic ones, eliminating the need to use human embryos.
“Divisive ethical difficulties are avoided completely in such a scenario,” Fulton said.
But Sens. Joel Johnson and Russ Karpisek said there’s not enough known yet about embryonic stem cells and their potential uses to rule out that research. Both senators opposed a ban.
Karpisek, of Wilber, said: “I feel that we need to use adult stem cells to their fullest extent, but not close the door on embryonic stem cells.”
Sen. Kent Rogert of Tekamah said he was unsure about whether to restrict human cloning in Nebraska but added, “We need to do all the research we can, yet protect life. The best way to get these cells is through discarded fetal tissue and excess from artificial reproduction.”
State law already prohibits the use of money from the nationwide tobacco settlement for studying embryonic stem cells.
Two bills limiting some types of research and another regarding research funding were introduced in 2005, but they never made it to a final floor vote.