The D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals lifted an injunction today on federally-funded research involving embryonic stem cells. Last August a District Court judge blocked federal government funding for such research, citing a 1996 law against funding “research in which a human embryo or embryos are destroyed” or discarded. However, two of the three judges on the Appeals Court panel found that the injuntion would impose “certain and substantial” harm on stem cell researchers, and that plaintiffs in the case “have not shown they are likely to succeed on the merits.” Click here (pdf file) for the full text of today’s ruling.
Senator Tom Harkin and Representatives Bruce Braley and Dave Loebsack all released statements today welcoming the decision as a victory for promising medical research. (The University of Iowa’s Carver College of Medicine was among facilities adversely affected by the district court ruling.) I’ve posted those statements after the jump and will update this post if and when other Iowa elected officials comment on the ruling.
Statement from Senator Tom Harkin, April 29:
“On behalf of all of the scientists and researchers on the forefront of stem cell research and the countless families impacted by the potential cures this research offers, we celebrate that the tide is turning in our favor. This ruling, based on the merits, protects the ability of scientists to continue to explore the promise of stem cell research. My hope is that the legal wrangling ends here. Because if the last few years have proven anything, it is that our fight to preserve funding for stem cell research – one of the most promising areas of medical research available today – must continue.”
Statement from Representative Bruce Braley, April 29:
“I applaud the court’s decision in this important case. Stem cell research has the possibility of leading to cures for illnesses such as diabetes, Parkinson’s, and Alzheimer’s. For me, this isn’t a Republican or Democratic issue – it’s a personal one. My own nephew suffers from juvenile diabetes, and I stand with former First Lady Nancy Reagan in support of the research that might one day save his life.”
Statement from Representative Dave Loebsack, April 29:
“For the more than 100 million Americans that suffer from cancer, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, diabetes and other debilitating diseases and disorders, this decision holds great promise. Overturning this ban will enable our scientists and researchers to work toward new cures and treatments for life altering and threatening diseases, and vastly improve the quality of life for so many Americans.”