The Michigan Legislature is continuing its quest to make embryonic stem cell research as difficult an endeavor as humanly possible in the Great Lakes State.
As of now, both the House and Senate Higher Education budgets require universities to report to the Legislature on all of their research activities -- even though most lawmakers' knowledge of the complexities of stem cell research could fit into a thimble. According to Dr. Sean Morrison, director of the University of Michigan Center for Stem Cell Biology, no other state in the country has reporting requirements.
"There is an extensive history in this area of opponents to embryonic stem cell research, year after year, misrepresenting the facts to scare the public into not supporting this work," Morrison said. ". . . I'm concerned this is an attempt to just collect data points that opponents can spin into misinformation. No matter what numbers are coming from the universities, there will be a reason to restrict research."
Of course, the Senate today might have voted on the Higher Ed budget a little quicker, had most of its members not taken a break to go to the Right to Life of Michigan luncheon. Really, you couldn't ask for a better demonstration of how things work around here.