Washington, DC – Michael Bennet, U.S. Senator for Colorado, today cosponsored a bill that establishes guidelines for the use of federal funds for embryonic stem cell research to comply with a recent ruling by a federal court judge. The Stem Cell Research Advancement Act requires guidelines on human stem cell research and does not allow federal funds to be used for the derivation of stem cell lines—the step in the process where the embryo is destroyed.
“This is a commonsense solution that allows doctors and scientists to continue the promising, potentially lifesaving stem cell research that they have been working on for years,” said Bennet. “It ensures that this important research will continue in a responsible way and that we can keep working to help millions of Americans suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, heart disease, and other ailments. I urge the Senate to act quickly on this bill to ensure that stem cell research is not stopped, suspended or stalled.”
The Stem Cell Research Advancement Act establishes the following eligibility criteria for federal funding of human stem cell research:
- The stem cells were derived from human embryos donated from in vitro fertilization clinics, were created for reproductive purposes and are in excess of clinical need.
- The embryos to be donated would never be implanted in a woman and would otherwise be discarded.
- The individuals seeking reproductive treatment donated the embryos with written informed consent and without any financial or other inducements.