When Missouri voters approved a constitutional amendment last November protecting human embryonic stem cell research, it was viewed as a key endorsement of the research even in states with deep religious roots and strong antiabortion forces like this one. But the expected expansion of stem cell research in Missouri has since run into political and financial roadblocks, putting the future of the research in doubt.
State lawmakers who opposed the constitutional amendment continue to fight it, introducing new bills that would bar some types of the research and suggesting that a ballot initiative to that end may lie ahead. Although the legislative efforts have so far failed, the uncertainty has made it difficult for facilities to attract stem cell specialists, some of whom question the state’s commitment to research that supporters say could lead to treatments for diseases like Parkinson’s and cancer.
This is an excerpt from a front-page article in the Friday issue of the New York Times by reporter Monica Davey. Click here to read the entire story.
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