In his state of the union address, President Bush promised to expand funds for some stem cell research and to ban patenting of human life. (That has interesting implications, as discussed in my previous blog.)

There doesn’t seem to be additional money flowing to the NIH, but the NIH has already been directed to fund “ethically responsible” sources of pluripotent cells, a program announcement for this was described months ago, and there is a supplement program. These additional funds could not be used to directly compare reprogrammed cells with human embryonic stem cells derived from the most advanced techniques. (In one of our commentaries , Markus Grompe, head of the Oregon Stem Cell Center describes what questions these cells could answer and that he has made the decision, on ethical grounds, not to ask questions that would require newly derived human embryonic stem cell lines. In another commentary, the presidents of the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine lay out what some of those questions are and why they are important.)

(Also see my interview with Story Landis, head of the NIH Stem Cell Task Force)

Here’s the transcript of the relevant bit of the State of the Union speech. I have some calls out for clarification, and if anything interesting comes back, I’ll post it later:

On matters of life and science, we must trust in the innovative spirit of medical researchers and empower them to discover new treatments while respecting moral boundaries.

In November, we witnessed a landmark achievement when scientists discovered a way to reprogram adult skin cells to act like embryonic stem cells.

This breakthrough has the potential to move us beyond the divisive debates of the past by extending the frontiers of medicine without the destruction of human life.

(APPLAUSE)

So we’re expanding funding for this type of ethical medical research. And, as we explore promising avenues of research, we must also ensure that all life treated with the dignity it deserves.

And so I call on Congress to pass legislation that bans unethical practices such as the buying, selling, patenting or cloning of human life.