STEM CELL RESEARCH LEGISLATION IN UNITED STATES

Stem Cell Research Legislation in United States

Stem Cell Research Legislation in United States

Stem cell legislation and policy in United States has had the complicated legal and political history. Stem cells are cells found in all multicellular organisms. Were isolated in mice in 1981, and in humans in 1988. In humans there are many types of stem cells, each with different power levels. Power is the measure of potential cell differentiation, or number of other cell types that can make this stem cell. Embryonic stem cells are pluripotent stem cells derived from blastocyst inner cell mass. These stem cells can differentiate into all other cells in human body and are subject of much scientific research. However, since they must be derived from early human embryos for use in production and research has been the hotly debated topic.

Stem cell treatments are the type of cell therapy introduced by new cells in adult bodies for possible treatment of cancer, somatic cell nuclear transfer, diabetes and other medical conditions. Cloning could also be done with stem cells. Stem cells have been used to repair tissue damaged by disease.

Until recently, main source of human embryonic stem cells have been donated embryos from fertility clinics. In January 2007, researchers at Wake Forest University reported that "stem cells taken from amniotic fluid donated by pregnant women have many of same promise those embryonic stem cells." In 2000, NIH, under administration of President Bill Clinton, issued "guidelines that allow federal funding of embryonic stem cell research."

In 1973, Roe v. Wade legalized abortion in United States. Five years later, first human being successfully in vitro fertilization resulted in birth of Louise Brown in England. These developments led to federal government to create rules restricting use of federal funds for research that experimented on human embryos. In 1995, NIH Human Embryo Research Panel recommends administration of President Bill Clinton to allow federal funding for research on surplus embryos from in vitro fertility treatments and also recommended federal funding of research on embryos created specifically for experimentation. In response to recommendations of panel, Clinton administration, citing moral and ethical concerns, refused to fund research on embryos created solely for research purposes, , but agreed to fund research on embryos remains created by in vitro fertility treatments. At this point, Congress intervened and passed Dickey-Wicker amendment in 1995 ( final draft, which included Dickey Amendment, was ...