Embryonic Histrionics: A Critical Evaluation of the Bush Stem Cell Funding Policy and the Congressional Alternative

Abstract:     
For the past decade, the debate over federal funding of human embryonic stem cell (hESC) research has dominated the national discussion of biomedical science policy. In 2001, President Bush announced the federal government would place significant limitations on funding of hESC research. In 2006, Congress passed legislation to overrule this decision but failed to override a presidential veto. This article goes beyond the headlines to critique the assumptions and the internal logic of the President's position and Congress' failed alternative, finding that neither constitutes a logically coherent public policy. It also evaluates the impact that the Bush policy has had on scientific progress in the field.

Number of Pages in PDF File: 29

Keywords: embryos, stem cells, biomedical research, law and science

Accepted Paper Series