[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 9]
[Senate]
[Page 11510]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       ADVANCING MEDICAL RESEARCH

  Mr. BIDEN. Mr. President, I joined 56 of my Senate colleagues and 
over 200 in the House of Representatives in writing the President 
asking that he work with the Congress toward a policy that will enable 
important medical research to proceed utilizing stem cells from frozen 
embryos that were created to treat infertility problems and which are 
now slated to be discarded. Continued studies using stem cell 
technology offer hope for a better future for millions of people 
afflicted with a wide range of illnesses and conditions, including 
Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, Parkinson's disease, cancer and others.
  Presently there are estimated to be more than 400,000 in vitro 
fertilized embryos that were developed to enable couples to have 
children, but that are now not needed for that purpose. These frozen 
embryos are likely to be destroyed. The President could hasten the 
progress of this important research by modifying his present policy to 
permit these embryos to be donated, with the consent of the couple, for 
stem cell research. I look forward to working with the President toward 
this goal.

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