Daschle headlines RFK Symposium

By: Erik Berg

Posted: 4/18/05

Former U.S. Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle opened UMKC's 2005 RFK Symposium last Monday, stating as the keynote speaker that he believes stem cell research can support moral and religious values while giving hope to the sick.

Daschle followed the theme of the weeklong Symposium, "Bio Ethics and Stem Cell Research," in discussing policy implications of the research. The former Democratic senator from South Dakota supported expanding stem cell research while serving as Senate majority and minority leader from 1994 to 2005.

"There are two reasons for my interest in stem cell research," Daschle said. "First, I've lost friends and loved ones to diseases that may be cured by stem cell research. Second, science and public policy are inextricably linked. On the first coin [issued by the United States] was the phrase, 'Liberty: Parent of science and industry."

Though not a scientist, Daschle briefly explained that stem cells are basic building blocks from which all systems of the human body develop. They are unspecialized cells that can divide multiple times over long periods and transform into specific types of cells. Scientists hope stem cell-based research will lead to cures for ailments like ALS and Parkinson's disease.

Stem cell research uses embryonic and adult stem cells; embryonic is the more controversial of the two.

Embryonic stem cells are taken from human embryos fertilized in an in vitro fertilization clinic, and are only two or three days old. Their removal destroys the embryo.

Adult stem cells are found in the tissues of the human body. Less numerous than embryonic stem cells, adult stem cells repair or replace damaged and unhealthy cells.

"From what scientists tell me, they fear [adult stem cells] may be the proverbial old dogs without many new tricks," said Daschle.

In 2001, President George W. Bush put limits on embryonic stem cell research. Scientists only receive federal funding for their research if they use one of 78 preexisting embryonic stem cell lines. Daschle said scientists have discovered since then that two-thirds of the lines have been corrupted and are not viable, leaving about 20 pure lines for research.

He joined with Republican Senator Trent Lott and 56 fellow senators in 2004, writing a letter to President Bush asking that he revise the policy to allow more embryonic stem cell lines for research. The lines would come from leftover lines that fertility clinics regularly discard. Daschle and the senators believe the limits have slowed the pace of related medical breakthroughs.

"Not only will federal investment speed research," said Daschle, "but it will bring federal standards to the research."

Daschle expressed concern that the limits are sending some of America's best researchers to other nations; countries that may not ensure the same standards and policy are applied to the research.

Citing examples in California and New Jersey, Daschle said the limits are also generating competition between states.

"California estimates they will save $7 billion a year in health costs through the research and will generate $3 billion a year in revenue [from the discoveries made]," he said.

Daschle said there are profound moral issues in stem cell research. The Catholic Church and other religious groups oppose embryonic research on the grounds that life has begun by the time cells are harvested from the embryos; therefore, life is being destroyed. Daschle, a Catholic, said he supports the research based on the biblical parable of the Good Samaritan, who offered help to a gravely injured man. He added that groups fear embryonic stem cell research may also open the door to human cloning.

Former Senator Daschle said during a brief question and answer session that two bills currently before Congress seek to prohibit human cloning. He said he favors the continuation of state-based stem cell research until Congress votes on it.

Daschle added in remarks before his speech that he has been traveling the lecture circuit, and has worked with a financial institution and a New York law firm since leaving office earlier this year. He is also part of a presidential commission looking into elections.

The former senator was defeated by South Dakota Republican John Thune during the November 2004 election.

Other speakers for the RFK Symposium included Dr. William Neaves, president and CEO of the Stowers Institute for Medical Research; Dr. Wayne Vaught of UMKC's Department of Philosophy and director of the Center for Applied and Professional Ethics; and Dr. M.C. Sullivan, executive vice president for the Midwest Bioethics Center.

Senator Daschle said the successes of stem cell research would be another great achievement for American science.

"Scientific progress has the power to bind us together as a nation," he said. "Florida didn't send a man to the moon. We all did. Maryland didn't map the human genome; we all did."

eberg@unews.com