October 1 - Six months after President Obama lifted the ban on federal funding for stem cell research, California and Maryland have signed the nation’s first interstate agreement encouraging researchers to work together by sharing cell lines and collaborating on projects. The hope is that through collaboration, researchers will speed progress in the field and possibly attain more federal funding.
In 2002, when practical stem cell research was still in its infancy, the National Research Council and Institute of Medicine saw the importance of addressing the ethical dilemmas and scientific uncertainties in the field. Based on the insights of leading scientists, ethicists, and other authorities, the Research Council and IOM released Stem Cells and the Future of Regenerative Medicine. Findings of the report included the recommendation that research be conducted under established standards of open scientific exchange with public oversight.
As a result of past limitations on stem cell research, federal funding was limited, inhibiting the establishment of national standards for the research. To address this concern, the Academies released Guidelines for Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research, offering a set of common ethical standards. Because stem cell research was – and is -- growing rapidly, the Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research Advisory Committee was established in 2006, and the guidelines have been amended in 2007 and 2008 to reflect new developments in the field. In addition, the Division on Earth and Life Studies created an online stem cell resource to help the public understand the complexities of the issue, and to provide a comprehensive source for materials put out by the National Academies.
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