Speaking of Stem Cell Research Oversite

The National Academy of Sciences has announced their intention to create a privately funded oversite committee to regulate human embryonic stem cell research.

The good news is that no researchers currently utilizing human embryonic stem cells (hESC) will be included in the committee. The bad news is that the privately funded oversite will give legitimacy the research might not otherwise have. And won’t be responsible to – or even possibly responsive to – the public or any elected official.

Again, possibly because I’m naive, I prefer to believe that the scientists mean well. It’s unfortunate that they don’t believe that the best guideline for the destructive hESC is regulated by the very lack of funding.

Thanks to Nancy Valko for the lead.