Federal Stem Cell Funding Blocked
A US District Court judge has temporarially blocked regulations regarding expansion of of stem cell research.
A US district judge granted a preliminary injunction, 8/23/10 to stop federal funding of embryonic stem cell research that he said destroys embryos …
- The ruling by Judge Royce C. Lamberth was a blow to the Obama administration, which last year issued guidelines to allow federal funding for embryonic stem cell research,
- Lamberth’s ruling said all embryonic stem cell research involves destroying embryos, which violates the Dickey-Wicker Amendment included in federal spending bills.
The previously dismissed lawsuit was brought by an embryo-adoption agency and the Christian Medical Association sought to block new NIH guidelines for stem-cell research.
- A nonprofit group, Nightlight Christian Adoptions, contends that the government’s new guidelines will decrease the number of human embryos available for adoption,
- The groups had sued to prevent implementation of new NIH guidelines that would allow broader funding for research on embryonic stem cells,
- In the previous ruling, the groups who sued on their own behalf as well as on behalf of all embryos, lacked standing to bring the case; on the point of fact that “Embryos lack standing because they are not persons under the law” and the unborn have no right to life protected under the Constitution’s 14th Amendment,
- Current federal law prohibits the use of US government funds for research that creates embryos for research or destroys them,
- The Dickey-Wicker Amendment had been interpreted to allow federal support for research on embryonic cell lines created with private funds.
Referencing our blog, 6/29/10 and 4/24/10. The case is Sherely vs. Sebelius, 09-cv-1575, US District Court, District of Columbia. This newest ruling entitles the plaintiffs to bring this lawsuit to the courts.
One stem cell company, Advanced Cell Technology (ACTC.OB) had been counting on the expansion of these guidelines to fund clinical trials.
