Nonembryonic stem cell research bill passes Senate

BYLINE: Matt Wilson, Staff Writer

ATLANTA -- The Georgia Senate passed a bill Tuesday that would clear the way for a blood bank and commission for stem cell research in Georgia, but excludes controversial embryonic stem cells from study in those institutions.

"My bill is designed to do one thing. It is designed to encourage nondestructive stem cell research," said Sen. David Shafer, R-Duluth, the sponsor of Senate Bill 148. "It does not prohibit any type of research."

Sen. Shafer's bill would create the Newborn Umbilical Cord Blood Bank and the Georgia Commission for Saving the Cure, which would study stem cells taken from umbilical cord blood and placental tissue.

It passed in a 39-15 vote after a contentious debate.

Many scientists contend that embryonic stem cells, which are usually taken from frozen human embryos soon after conception, present the best chance for cures for degenerative diseases. Those embryos are destroyed in the process.

But opponents of embryonic stem-cell research say the process is the destruction of human life.

Sen. Shafer said he wanted to avoid the moral argument surrounding embryonic stem cells.

"We should not let ethical controversy hamper the types of research over which there is no controversy," he said.

Democratic supporters of embryonic stem cell research bristled at the bill's use of the term "destructive" in regard to embryonic stem cells.

Two efforts by Sen. David Adelman, D-Decatur, a staunch supporter of embryonic stem-cell research, to remove that language from the bill failed.

Sen. Nan Orrock, D-Atlanta, said the bill puts Georgia "on one side of the controversy" and could make the state "a laughing stock."

"We are, in fact, sending a message to the biotech industry that Georgia will not be a friendly place for scientific research," she said.

Sen. Shafer insisted, however, that there is "no pejorative language in the bill."

A similar bill proved unsuccessful last year, but Gov. Sonny Perdue put portions of the bill establishing blood banks into action through an executive order.

Sen. Shafer's bill now moves on to the House.

E-mail Matt Wilson at mwilson@timesfreepress.com