Aggregated News
To fill a void in federal supervision, the National Academy of Sciences is setting up a committee to provide informal oversight over research with human embryonic stem cells.
Contentious issues in biological research are usually handled by the National Institutes of Health, the government agency that finances most biomedical research. Because of the Bush administration's reservations about embryonic stem cell research, which it has allowed to proceed but only with cell lines established before Aug. 9, 2001, the N.I.H. has been unable to specify what kinds of research are ethically acceptable. With their patron agency sidelined, researchers have looked to the academy to provide guidance.
Unlike many of the academy's committees, which are financed by the government, the new committee will be paid for by private sponsors, like the Ellison Medical Foundation.
"Our very strong feeling was that some sort of oversight was vastly preferable to the vacuum we have now," said Richard L. Sprott, executive director of the foundation. Dr. Sprott said he hoped the academy's committee would "fill the gap in federal oversight and make sure the private...
Contentious issues in biological research are usually handled by the National Institutes of Health, the government agency that finances most biomedical research. Because of the Bush administration's reservations about embryonic stem cell research, which it has allowed to proceed but only with cell lines established before Aug. 9, 2001, the N.I.H. has been unable to specify what kinds of research are ethically acceptable. With their patron agency sidelined, researchers have looked to the academy to provide guidance.
Unlike many of the academy's committees, which are financed by the government, the new committee will be paid for by private sponsors, like the Ellison Medical Foundation.
"Our very strong feeling was that some sort of oversight was vastly preferable to the vacuum we have now," said Richard L. Sprott, executive director of the foundation. Dr. Sprott said he hoped the academy's committee would "fill the gap in federal oversight and make sure the private...