Legislating on the Cutting Edge of Science

The Politics of Embryonic Stem Cells

Sean Tipton

Director, Public AffairsAmerican Society for Reproductive

Medicine

VP CommunicationsCoalition for the Advancement of Medical

Research

Objectives:

• List the key developments in stem cell policy and their relation to significant advances in stem cell research.

• Analyze the responses of critical decision makers in stem cell policy

• Predict how policy makers will respond to new scientific breakthroughs.

FOCUS ON CHRONOLOGY

• how the issues cut politically

• how new developments in science and politics effect the debate

PATTERNS?

• See some patterns emerge

• Some of it not so predictable

• Stem cell politics are often tied up with 2 things:

• embryo research

• cloning

HISTORY

• Research into human stem cell therapies has been around for 30 years

• Policy debate about embryos has also been around since the mid 70’s

EMBRYO POLICY

• Discussion began in early 70’s

• HHS panel issued recommendations on how to proceed with research

• de facto moratorium through the Reagan-Bush years

• Congress overturned ban, Bush veto in ‘90

EMBRYO POLICY

• ’93 Clinton lifts moratorium asks NIH to determine policy

• NIH director’s panel again sets up how to proceed

• ‘95 Dickey Wicker prohibits NIH funding for embryo research

CLONING POLICY

• Feb ‘97 “Dolly” announcement

• Clinton asks bioethics panel to address it

• Hearings in both House and Senate

• ‘98 Retired physicist Richard Seed says he will clone

• Cloning debate in Senate and House

hES CELLS 1998-2000

• Nov ‘98 First papers reporting the ability to derive stem cell lines from human embryos published

• ‘99 HHS General Counsel rules NIH can fund hES research

• ‘99-2000 NIH empanels committee to set policy

• ‘99 AMA HOD approves pro-ES stance

hES CELLS 200-2001

• Minor issue in 2000 election

• 2001 Bush administration blocks implementation of NIH recommendations

• Bush decision Aug 9 2001

• Created new bioethics panel Nov 2001

hES CELLS 2001-2002

• House Hearings – multiple committees

• Senate Hearings – dueling committee chairs

• Brownback (R- KS)

• Specter (R- PA)

• Hatch (R- UT)

CLONING 2002-2003

• Dec 2002 – Raelians announce birth of clone

• House passes anti-scnt bill twice

• July 2001

• Feb 2003 (virtually no discussion or hearing)

ASRM ACTION

• January 2003 –American Society for Reproductive Medicine Executive Committee in DC

• Positions still being developed

• Much Listening

• Appreciated ability to hear from expert

2004 High Visibility

• Big issue in 2004 campaign

• Issue in debates,

• Kerry tried to make it a big issue

• CA initiative - Prop 71

2005 – BUSY YEAR

• Op eds

• Press conferences

• Congressional visits

HR 810

• Rep Mike Castle (R- DE) led moderates

• Withheld budget votes for promise of vote on HR 810

• Passed in May 238-194

• 50 GOP votes

• Had votes of several important Committee Chairs

SENATE STEM CELL VOTE?

• Sen. Frist announced his support in July

• Sen. Specter withdrew threat to attach it to $$ bill

• No vote this year

Where is the Fight?

• Abortion

• Status of the embryo

• Embryo vs Patient

OTHER DIMENSIONS

• Research Issue

• Economic development

• Geographic competition

• Splits elements of GOP coalition

• Business vs. right to life

MORE INFORMATION

• stipton@asrm-dc.org

• www.asrm.org

• www.camradvocacy.org