Lawmakers Give Stem Cell Research a Push

WaPo today covered the efforts of Connecticut and Massachusetts to put money, power and state sanction on the table to retain and grow stem cell research in those states. $10 million per year for Connecticut is awaiting a signature from an eager Governor M. Jodi Rell, who has promised to sign.

The Massachusetts legislature has stomped on Governor Mitt Romney's veto of the bill there, which will now give the state health regulatory officials the power to control research in Massachusetts. Frankly I cannot figure out how the Massachusetts legislation works, but apparently it will at least prevent overzealous district attorneys from preventing embryonic stem cell research with their own independent interpretation of what counts as a violation of the law there against destruction of embryos.

The big news is Connecticut's effort, reviewed here by The Scientist.