http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A2297-2005Mar25.html

A bill providing state money for embryonic stem cell research will move to the floor of the House of Delegates this morning after clearing the House Appropriations Committee last night.

Starting in the state's fiscal 2007, the legislation would provide $23 million annually for research that proponents say holds promise for numerous debilitating conditions, including diabetes, Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. Opponents argue that the research, restricted on the federal level, is unethical, because it involves the destruction of a viable human embryo....

NIH Stem Cell Site (http://stemcells.nih.gov/index.asp)

I read, somewhere, that an Australian group has managed to extract a stem cell usable for a broad spectrum of cells, from an adult nose. Not sure if anyone independant has verified or not, but if so...that would help alleviate this so called ethical dilemma.

Stem cells come in many different flavors. They have used adult stem cells in quite a few things lately, but they can't do what embryonic ones can do, that is differentiate into a different sort of cell.

The embryonic stem cell lines the Bush administration "set aside" for use are all useless. They're contaminated with non-human DNA and when they've tried to use them it causes serious side-effects in humans. However, they think they've got a new way to preserve and grow human embryonic stem cells without having to contaminate them.

Wow! I'd be very surprised if the House passed it. They're so conservative nowadays. And if it did pass and get through the Senate, I bet Him Who Shall Not Be Named will veto it.

This is a bill in the Maryland house of reps, not the federal government. States can fund research using any line of stem cells they want.

This is a bill in the Maryland house of reps, not the federal government. States can fund research using any line of stem cells they want.

Ya, I should have read it more closely.

While looking for relevant topics, I also discovered a Bush address on Stem Cell research. I dunno, from the sound of it, it does not look like he has made his mind up on the issue. And it seemed heartfelt. Who knows.

maybe I will go look for it again.

Bush's Address Stem Cell Research (http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2001/08/20010809-2.html)

It is dated August 2001.

I think Bush was looking for a way to allow stem cell research without alienating (too much) his core political base. The contamination that Panamah noted is problematic, and it will be interesting to see if, when, and how this affects Bush's stance. Since he's not up for reelection, my guess is he'll finesse the issue in a similar way by allowing importation of new lines, or allowing federal funds to be used with cell lines created with state funds.