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Where Healthcare Meets Policy

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Stem Cell Research: U.K. on the Move Where Healthcare Meets Policy

Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer: 

Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer South Korean scientists announced their successful process They took the nucleus out of a human egg cell and replaced it with genetic material from an adult egg cell They stimulated the new cell to divide into a pluripotent stem cell February 12, 2004 Source: Spar D. The business of stem cells. NEJM. 2004;351:211-213.

This Success Did Not Come Easy : 

This Success Did Not Come Easy The creation of stem cells occurred on the 176th try Susan Fisher, Ph.D. Co-director of the human stem cell biology program, University of California at San Francisco Two years is a “a lifetime” in research – lost because of the U.S. government’s policy position, which is “180 degrees from that of our colleagues in Europe.” Work of the South Korean scientists brought all stem cell scientists one step further along the theory-to-practice timeline IF it’s possible to inhabit an enucleated egg cell with a donor nucleus from an individual with a specific disease or genetic disorder IF the resultant embryo can be stimulated to produce stem cells THEN scientists are convinced whole new opportunities will appear Sources: Kolata G. Stem Cells: Promise, in Search of Results. New York Times. Aug. 24, 2004:F1. Rosenthal E. Britain Embraces Embryonic Stem Cell Research. New York Times. Aug. 24, 2004:F6. Daley GQ. Missed opportunities in embryonic stem-cell research. NEJM. 2004;351:627-628.

What Opportunities Does Stem Cell Research Hold?: 

What Opportunities Does Stem Cell Research Hold? Fleshed out the possibilities of repeating the South Korean scientists’ success Using 50 adult Parkinson’s patients as nuclear donors Closely observing the output: 50 stem cells lines, stimulated to become nerve cells of the type that die in the disease Dr. Douglas Melton, Developmental Biologist at Harvard Questions and Observations Would they die? When and Why? Same way, from the same cause, or were there multiple pathways, processes, and agents responsible for Parkinson’s disease? Would various drugs have any protective effect? Sources: Kolata G. Stem Cells: Promise, in Search of Results. New York Times. Aug. 24, 2004:F1. Kennedy R. First Lady Defends Limits On Stem Cell Research. New York Times. Aug. 10, 2004:A16.

The U.K. Put Its Stem Cell Research Debate to Rest 14 Years Ago : 

The U.K. Put Its Stem Cell Research Debate to Rest 14 Years Ago In 1990 The U.K. advanced legislation “specifically allowing embryonic research and technology … in situations related to in-vitro fertilization or screening for genetic defects” After much debate, the U.K. specified Type of embryos Consent required Project review Licensure process Source: Rosenthal E. Britain Embraces Embryonic Stem Cell Research. New York Times. Aug. 24, 2004:F6.

In 1996, the U.S. Started Down an Opposite Road: 

In 1996, the U.S. Started Down an Opposite Road Approved the Dickey Amendment authored by Rep. Jay Dickey (R-Arkansas) Prohibited federal support for “the creation of a human embryo or embryos for research purposes; or … research in which a human embryo or embryos are destroyed, discarded or knowingly subject to risk of injury or death” Source: Daley GQ. Missed opportunities in embryonic stem-cell research. NEJM. 2004;351:627-628.

Contrasting U.K.-U.S. Choices Have Defined Contrasting Present-Day Realities : 

Contrasting U.K.-U.S. Choices Have Defined Contrasting Present-Day Realities August 9, 2001 – U.S. federal policy widened the gap of opportunity between U.S. and non-U.S. based stem cell scientists University of California at San Francisco The stem cell biology program was relocated off campus since the campus science buildings were subsidized by federal funding 2 or 3 stem cell lines were lost The co-director resigned, moved to the U.K. where he saw greater opportunity The program, once a cross sector mix of public and private support and involvement, converted to a private-only model Source: Rosenthal E. Britain Embraces Embryonic Stem Cell Research. New York Times. Aug. 24, 2004:F6.

What is Currently Going On in the U.K.?: 

What is Currently Going On in the U.K.? Created the first national stem cell bank Review and licensing procedures put in place Each embryo is tracked Stem cell lines created for therapeutics must be ceded to the national bank for evaluation and maintenance Cell transfer requires application and approval Soon, all U.K. stem cell lines will be stored in the stem cell bank Reproductive cloning is punishable with imprisonment Source: Rosenthal E. Britain Embraces Embryonic Stem Cell Research. New York Times. Aug. 24, 2004:F6.

Initial British Government Funding Totaled $4.7 Million: 

Initial British Government Funding Totaled $4.7 Million “If you’re worried about a slippery slope of using embryos, then fine – develop a tightly regulated system like we have.” – Stephen Minger, Ph.D., King’s College London “We’ve dealt with a lot of issues and complications of embryonic stem cell research in a straightforward way, and that has put the U.K. in a very good position.” – Dr Glyn Stacey, Ph.D., Director of the U.K. Stem Cell Bank August 2004 U.K. granted its first license for therapeutic cloning Source: Rosenthal E. Britain Embraces Embryonic Stem Cell Research. New York Times. Aug. 24, 2004:F6.

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Stem Cell Research: U.K. on the Move Where Healthcare Meets Policy Release Date: 9/29/2004 www.healthpolitics.com