Congressional delegation calls
for boost to stem cell funding

By Clive Cookson in London

The US is lagging behind Britain and other countries in stem cell research, because of federal funding restrictions imposed by President George W. Bush, according to a bipartisan congressional delegation on a fact-finding visit to the UK. Three members of the House of Representatives, accompanied by staff from four senators' offices, told a press conference in London yesterday that they were impressed not only by the quality of research they had seen in the UK but also by the regulatory regime that underpins it.

The American politicians' visit is intended to give new momentum to legislation expanding federal research funding, which President Bush has limited to embryonic stem cells derived before 2001. Scientists say these are largely useless for research. Bill HR810 would also regulate stem cell research, currently taking place in a regulatory vacuum in the private sector. Although the House of Representatives passed HR810 a year ago, its supporters are becoming increasingly impatient with the Senate's failure to act. Rep Diana DeGette, Democrat of Colorado, said in London:

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US 'falling behind' in stem cell research

Liz Ford

A lack of state support for stem cell research in the US has resulted in the country falling behind other nations in this area of science, a group of American politicians said today. Members of a bipartisan delegation of US congressmen and women, who have met British researchers, government officials and regulatory agencies to find out  more about stem cell research in the UK, said that "leadership in this field had shifted to the UK". The visit comes as the US Senate prepares for a possible vote on the expansion of federal funding for research on stem cells derived from human embryos.

At present, state funding is restricted to research on 22 cell lines derived from human embryos before August 9 2001. More lines are, however, being derived in the private sector and in public universities using private money.

But a bill to ease these financial constraints and allow research on cells regardless of when they were derived, passed last year by the House of Representatives, has raised the possibility of change.

Senators have now drafted an identical bill, although it has yet to be voted on. The US president, George Bush, is known to be reluctant to extend the boundaries of research, describing the Representatives' vote as a "great mistake".

In the 1990s the US was a major player in this field of research. The first published accounts of the production of human embryonic stem cells in 1998 came from teams based at the University of Wisconsin and Johns Hopkins University.

But, as restrictions have tightened, the US has seen more scientists moving to the UK, which allows research involving stem cells derived from human embryos up to 14 days of development. The most high-profile of these defections was Roger Pederson, who left the University of California in San Francisco for the University of Cambridge five years ago.

"Leadership in this area of research has shifted to the United Kingdom, which sees this scientific area as a cornerstone of its biotech industry," said Republican congressman Michael Castle, a delegation member who helped draft the House of Representatives' bill.

Democratic congresswoman Diana DeGette, who co-authored the bill, added: "I hope that the Senate will vote on this bill within the next few weeks and that the president will not issue his first veto on a bill that could help millions of Americans."  However, the Royal Society warned that the UK "should not be misled" into thinking the US restrictions were good news for British researchers.

"UK research is slower because US colleagues lack vital federal support to aid development of therapies based on research on human embryonic stem cells," said Sir Richard Gardner, who has chaired major studies into stem cell research for the society.

"UK patients suffering from diseases and injuries that could potentially be treated with stem cell therapies could benefit from treatments that are based on research carried out anywhere in the world and are best served if progress is based on a concerted international effort. Therefore, a change in the United States to allow more federally funded research on human embryonic stem cells would be good news for both UK researchers and patients."

Stem cells are cells that can replicate themselves and generate specialised cells as they multiply. Scientists hope they can be used to generate replacement cells and issues that could eventually treat diseases and conditions such as Parkinson's, leukaemia and spinal cord injuries.