May 20th, 2005
Anti-Research Politics
From MSNBC, a fine example of anti-research politics in the US: "President Bush on Friday said he would veto legislation that would loosen restrictions on embryonic stem cell research and expressed concern about human [therapeutic] cloning research in South Korea. ... 'The president is opposed to that. That represents exactly what we're opposed to.'" This is exactly the sort of threatening environment - backed up by pending legislation to criminalize this research into cures for age-related conditions - that has scared away private investment and held back progress towards the full potential of regenerative medicine. The lesson is clear - if we want the liberty to lead longer, healthier lives, then we have to stand up and fight for it.