President Barack Obama signed an executive order Monday that would allow the federal government to fund stem cell research. For Oregon legislators who have been working to position the state on the forefront of stem cell research, the executive order gives hope that House Bill 2598 could move forward.
HB 2598, sponsored by Rep. Larry Galizio (D-Tigard) and Rep. Mitch Greenlink(D-Portland), would allow further development of stem cell research at Oregon universities and research institutions and establish a Stem Cell Research Committee that would be made up of scientists, medical ethicists and members of the general public.
“Passing House Bill 2598 will complement and capitalize on President Obama’s executive order,” Galizio said. “Oregon can show the rest of the country that we base our public policies on science, not politics.”
Stem cells come from embryos or adult tissue and many scientists believe they have the potential to replace damaged cells that cause diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. However, the evidence is not conclusive.
The bill would also create the Stem Cell Research Grant Fund in the Department of Human Services, which would authorize private and public contributions to more quickly finance stem cell research because of the suffering economy.
“We already have strong research programs at the University of Oregon, Portland State, Oregon State and at OHSU; we need to capitalize on those resources. I wish we had the money right now like California, who was able to allocate $3 billion dollars to their stem cell research, but that is why we established the private fund,” Greenlink said. “This is too valuable an opportunity for our state to let it fall by the wayside.”
Galizio reminds citizens that although the recession is dominating the session, stem cell research would also create jobs in Oregon.
Religious studies major Katie Alley supports parts of stem cell research, but said she is not in full support of a program that puts the responsibility of life into science’s hands.
“I don’t think it is right for the government to play God, but I am not against something that has the potential of helping people, especially children, and finds treatment to debilitating diseases,” she said. “I don’t think it is right to use people’s tax money to pay for it because a lot of people are not in support of it, but if they can find another way to fund it, then it would be OK.”
The new bill would place safeguards to protect against human cloning in Oregon, and Galizio said the bill has been well received in the legislature, despite the topic’s controversial nature.
“I mean, we haven’t had a wide range of discussion from the general public, but within the legislature it seems to be a bill that people feel comfortable with,” Galizio said.
So far, legislatures in California, New Jersey, Connecticut, Illinois, Maryland and New York have passed similar laws that establish their commitment to stem cell research.
[email protected]