New Stem Cell Research Rules Enacted By Obama

Reuters:

U.S. President Barack Obama directed federal agencies on Thursday to enact new rules governing federally funded research on human embryonic stem cells.

The rules, issued earlier this year by the National Institutes of Health, loosened some ethical requirements that scientists said could have cost them a decade of work.

Read the whole story: Reuters

Comments

[Sean 6399]

The federal government has no Constitutional authority to fund basic science research at all, in any field.

The feds have authority to manage the national military, conduct foreign diplomacy, and not much else.

Science should never be constrained by politics, and making the federal government the primary customer of basic research just means that only politically acceptable research will be allowed. This potentially kills "unpopular" research projects, and expands research deemed orthodox.

Why not try freedom and a Constitutionally limited government, rather than turning every freaking issue in the country into yet another political battle?

[fabricnthreads]

Feel free to refuse to ever benefit from any federally funded scientific research.

The power of the federal government is given by the people. The people support government funding research for the betterment of society.

At least most of us do, and with this administration, MOST is enough.

[Sean 6399]

Yeah I'll refuse the benefits when you refuse to use the IRS to force me to contribute to your agenda.

The power of the federal government is supposed to be restrained by the chains of the Constitution. And if you don't like those chains, there is a legitimate process for amending them. Sadly, you and many others don't believe in a government limited by law, and prefer a government of men free to do whatever they like, as long as you agree with their plans.

One would think that people would have learned from the last administration the dangers of a government that ignores the limits of the Constitution. But no, most people don't object to power seized unjustly, as long as they are the ones wielding that power.

But you may not always have a friend in the whitehouse. And on that day you may wish you could restore a respect for Constitutional limits on government, but it will probably be too late. Apparently it already is.

[LouStools]

Thank God for this. Finally some common sense in the White House.....­It seems the GOP are against anything that will help Americans.

It is like driving, if you want to go backwards pick R, if you want to go forward, pick D.

[chaallus]

Well, I've had cerebral toxoplasmosis since 2000 and am still waiting ... thanks to Shrub, we're at least 10 years behind in research. Thanks Dubya, you !@#$&!

[kcmookie]

Article IV page 46 states: No stem cells from any neocons whatsover will be used out of fear of genetic retrograde. Decimation of the gene pool could result, it appears that idi0cy is embraced even on a cellular level.

[timewaster2dcore]

It seems America lost its way in the past 8 years. The US became super power because of its ability to research without limits.

[NorthSide]

The Reuters article cited above is hardly longer than the blurb at the top of the page. It does not say what the new rules are. But everyone here says they are great because the cancel the Bush-era rules. For all you know the rules say we have to eat a pound of stem cells for breakfast each day. But they are great rules!

[CardboardBox]

"For all you know the rules say we have to eat a pound of stem cells for breakfast each day."

Right. Because that's what Obama ran on during his campaign. And I'm sure he didn't spell out in detail what those changes will be during his Bill Signing Ceremony a month ago. I'm also convinced that the new rules aren't on the internet or whitehouse.gov where anyone can--with minimal research--get informed.

/sarcasm

[medici]

So glad to have the separation of church and state back.

[neurogrl]

Glad to hear of some intellectual progress over the closed-minded past. Also, it's nice to read this in light of all the birther articles.

[TKDMike]

finally - COMMON SENSE and science instead of VODOO religon and GOP NUTJOBS

[kk78]

Oh thank gosh!! My dad has parkinsons disease. He has had it since he was 41. ( 55 yrs now ) its been horrible watching him go through this, If they could have been able to do half the research that they should have been able to do he might not be as bad as he is today. In all hopes and prayers i hope this helps!!

[Joethepauper]

It's about time. I'm so glad we have a president who is pro-science. Cures are out there, and we lost 8 years of scientific 'edge' to other countries. I don't really care which country finds a cure for what, as long as they are focusing on cures/vaccines instead of 'treatments'. The reason we don't have cures is partly due to Bush, but it's partly because of money too. Treatments are a band-aid, but they make a lot of money applying multiple band-aids.

[Shinjijon]

Something that bugs me about the photograph The Huffington Post chose for the intro to this article: the gloves pictured above are heat resistant gloves, and they are being used while pulling something out of a liquid nitrogen dewar, please don't ever actually do that. Get some cold resistant gloves! It's annoying enough having to tell students that heat resistance does not equal cold resistance.

[Cycadeoidea]

Thank goodness there's a mature, thinking adult in the White House.

[wanttruth]

I co-sign. I hope a cure for MS can be found soon. I have a family member who needs help badly!

[PlaceboStudman]

Chalk one up for science and technology and medicine. Finally an aspect of Health Care Reform that actually deals with medicine and technology!!!

[fabricnthreads]

This is good news.

Unfortunately, the religious zealots in power during the previous administration have, IMO, criminally put us 8 years behind where we should have been in this field of research. We have a lot of catching up to do.