Stem cell research shot down in Senate

Kayla Webley
2005-04-12
The Daily

A bill to move Washington forward in defining its policy over stem cell research was killed yesterday by the state Senate.

After days of delay, House Bill 1268 failed in a Senate floor vote after two Republican senators, who originally supported the bill, switched to join their caucus.

The bill would have permitted stem cell research, including the use of human embryonic stem cells, but prohibited reproductive cloning in the state.

If passed, the bill would have created a human stem cell research advisory committee consisting of 13 members appointed by the governor. The UW would have a role in the committee, sharing the power to recommend candidates for the committee to the governor with members of the biomedical research community.

If created, the committee would have developed guidelines for research involving the use of human embryonic stem cells.

Stem cell research has incited controversy nationwide; cells come from human embryos created through in-vitro fertilization. Embryos are destroyed when stem cells are extracted.

Opponents say destroying the embryos is destroying human life.

Proponents for the research believe it could be fundamental in developing cures for diseases such as Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and diabetes.

The bill's failure will not change the UW's use of stem cells in its research, including research done with embryonic stem cells, according to Dr. Randall Moon, professor of pharmacology at the UW School of Medicine.

But the bill could affect the state's ability to get research grants from private foundations and prevent the state from regulating the type of research conducted, said Moon, who testified four times on the bill in Olympia.

"The future is bright for this research," said Moon. "We are optimistic about it the long run and plan to work within the Legislature and the opponents to come to some middle ground."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.