GOP to float ban on some stem cell research

Apr 11, 2013 7:00am 22 hours ago

A niche field of stem cell research in the state could be banned undera bill a Republican lawmaker plans to reintroduce, a proposal which could affect research conducted on campus.

Rep. AndrJacque, RDe Pere, said he is currently searching for a co-sponsor for the legislation that failed to pass two years ago.Jacquesaid the bill would not restrict all forms of fetal tissue research, only research on aborted fetuses.

Researchers will still be able to gather tissue from miscarriages and stillbirths should the parents be willing to donate their babys tissue to research,Jacquesaid.

He said the bill would have no bearing on stem cell research conducted in Wisconsin and is intended only to insure the tissue being used for study is attained in an ethical manner. He said scientists should not be able to conduct research on these baby parts.

University of Wisconsin spokesperson Terry Devitt said he was concerned by the bill. Devitt said the legislation could prevent university scientists from conducting research on fetal tissue cell lines harvested from as far back as the 1970s.

He added it could be difficult for researchers to attain the cells necessary to carry on UWs groundbreaking research on diseases without the use of aborted fetal tissue.

Wisconsins innovative research on the subject could be deemed illegal and our progress lost when only between four and 10 researchers are using this fetal tissue in their investigations, Devitt said.

Devitt said he worries if Wisconsin were to discontinue research which demands on fetal tissue, it would falsely display the universitys disinterest in contributing to cutting-edge therapeutic solutions.

For example, the possible law could force UW transplant surgeon Jon Odorico to cease his research, which uses tissue from pancreases of aborted fetuses to discover prospective new diabetes treatments, Devitt said.

The rest is here:
GOP to float ban on some stem cell research