美国在干细胞研究领域中落后于英国等领先国家

The  United  States  is  lagging  behind  Britain  and  other  leading  nations  on  stem  cell  research,  a  visiting  U.S.  Congressional  delegation  said  on  Thursday.

Scientists  believe  that  stem  cells,  master  cells  in  the  body  that  can  develop  into  any  cell  type,  could  be  used  to  treat  diseases  ranging  from  diabetes  to  Parkinson's.

But  their  use  is  controversial  because  the  most  promising  stem  cells  for  treating  human  diseases  are  derived  from  very  early  human  embryos.

The  United  has  restricted  federal  funding  of  stem  cell  research  which  Colorado  Democrat  Rep.  Diana  DeGette  said  has  forced  some  American  scientists  to  relocate  to  countries  which  have  more  lenient  policies.

"In  addition,  leadership  in  this  area  of  research  has  shifted  to  the  United  Kingdom,  which  sees  this  scientific  area  as  a  cornerstone  of  its  biotech  industry,"  she  said  in  a  statement.

DeGette  and  other  members  of  the  bipartisan  Congressional  delegation  are  holding  meetings  in  Britain  with  government  officials,  agencies  and  scientists  about  advances  in  stem  cell  research,  as  well  as  ethical  and  regulatory  issues.

Rhode  Island  Democratic  Rep.  Jim  Langevin  said  the  visit  has  opened  his  eyes  about  the  innovations  that  are  occurring  in  Britain.

"Unfortunately,  this  trip  is  also  serving  as  a  reminder  of  how  much  the  scientific  community  in  the  United  States  is  missing  out  on  research  and  investment  opportunities,"  he  said.

DeGette  and  Delaware  Republican  Rep.  Michael  Castle  (news,  bio,  voting  record),  who  is  also  part  of  the  delegation,  introduced  a  bill  to  expand  federal  funding  of  stem  cell  research  on  human  embryos  that  would  otherwise  be  discarded.

It  was  approved  by  the  U.S.  House  of  Representatives  last  year  and  has  been  introduced  into  the  Senate.  President  George  W.  Bush  has  threatened  to  veto  it.

Opponents  of  the  research  object  to  the  use  of  federal  funds  to  finance  it.

Sir  Richard  Gardner,  of  Britain's  national  academy  of  science  the  Royal  Society,  who  met  the  delegation  said  expanding  federal  funding  in  the  United  States  would  benefit  patients  and  researchers  in  Britain  and  other  countries.

"More  federally-funded  research  on  human  embryonic  stem  cells  in  the  United  States  would  increase  the  number  of  researchers  who  are  active  in  this  important  field  and  thus  hasten  progress  toward  new  therapies,"  Gardner  said.   (责任编辑：泉水)

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美国在干细胞研究领域中落后于英国等领先国家