Friday, May 22nd, 2009

Stem Cell Research Funding Update

In March, President Obama signed an executive order directing the government to change its policies regarding the funding of embryonic stem cell research. Under rules put in place by President Bush, federal funding for embryonic stem cell work was limited to research involving 23 stem cell lines that had already been created. A public comment period on rules implementing President Obama's revision to that policy is scheduled to close next week - but, according to attorney Patrick Taylor of Harvard Medical School, the proposed rules may not have the effect most people think. Due to new informed consent regulations in the rules that apply retroactively, Taylor argues, even work done using the currently approved 'Presidential Lines' could lose federal funding once the new rules go into effect. We'll talk with him about the issue.

Guests

Patrick L. Taylor
Deputy General Counsel and Chief Counsel, Research Affairs
Children's Hospital Boston
Lecturer, Harvard Medical School
Cambridge, MA