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Stem Cell Research Legislation

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Stem Cell Research Legislation

Human stem cell research is a very touchy subject. The negative attention it has drawn from the press and politicians has detoured many researchers and scientists from the field. “After the scientific and political obstacles are overcome, it is anticipated that the human stem cell research field will make a tremendous difference in conditions, such as burn traumas and diabetic foot ulcers, as well as a number of degenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s disease, type 1 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and myocardial infarction(Turksen, 2006).” In my opinion, the field of regenerative medicine is the key to a longer, healthier life. Without the use of human stem cell research, the conditions and diseases that plague the world will never be cured.
The history on human stem cell research legislation in the United States is just under a decade old. On August 9th 2001, then, President George W. Bush told the United States the regulations for human stem cell research. The regulation stated that only certain types of human stem cell research could be funded by the federal government. “The National Institute of Health (NIH) funding for research using human embryonic stem cells derived from other sources, including somatic cell nuclear transfer, parthenogenesis, and/or in vitro fertilization embryos created for research purposes, is not allowed under these Guidelines ("Draft national institutes," 2009).” Some states disagree with this legislation; California, New Jersey, and Connecticut for example, have adopted different legislation to provide state funds to most forms of human stem cell research (Newton 2007). New York, Illinois, and California “permits research on embryonic stem cells, embryonic germ cells and adult stem cells from any source ("Stem cell research," 2008).”
In wake of President Barack Obama, the legislation for human

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