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Hawaii stands to benefit
from stem cell research

In response to your April 29 editorial "State should consider stem cell research," several bills were introduced this legislative session dealing with the issue of human embryonic stem cell research.

Pro-life advocates portray stem cell research as cruel, inhumane torture. Many in our community would strongly disagree with this characterization. What could be a better way to value life than to support medical research that will one day help children suffering from juvenile diabetes, people who suffer from various forms of cancer, or our aging population as it copes with Alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease? The potential is limitless if we endow our scientific community with the tool it needs -- research funding.

Many fear that human embryonic stem cell research is the first step toward human cloning. In fact, stem cell research is human cloning. By that, I do not mean making duplicates of people. I certainly oppose the cloning of human beings. This form of cloning would consist of growing a duplicate heart for a person with heart disease, or a duplicate liver or kidney. These "cloned" organs would be vastly superior to current transplant organs because our bodies would never reject them.

These advances are not right around the corner. No one can tell you with any honesty when stem cell research will bear fruit, but the promise is real nonetheless. The sooner we invest money in this effort, the sooner we will save lives and dramatically improve the quality of life.

It is unfortunate that this has become an issue for states to wrestle with, but the federal government has negligently abdicated responsibility for it. As the cutting-edge research on this subject begins to move overseas, states are forced to jump into the fray to stem the tide of this research exodus. An overwhelming majority of the funding that goes into medical technology and advancement comes from the National Institutes of Health. When the federal government stepped in and severely limited the funding available to embryonic stem cell researchers, this had the effect of essentially killing the potential for biotechnology innovation and prevented organizations from conducting this type of research.

Last fall California voters passed a ballot initiative that established an Institute of Regenerative Medicine at the University of California. I introduced House Bill 1648 this year because I felt that, in addition to adding the state's stamp of approval for stem cell research (which is already legal), it follows the blueprint laid out by the California initiative. Likewise, our effort would have charged the John A. Burns School of Medicine at the University of Hawaii with creating a similar institute. Additionally, this bill went a step further. It endowed UH with the ability to float bonds, like California, to infuse funds into the state for embryonic stem cell research. The University of Hawaii does not currently have the authority to issue bonds.

I believe this is an exciting time for the university's medical school. As it opens its state-of-the-art facility at Kakaako, the university will attract even more top-level researchers, faculty and students. It is my belief that an institute for regenerative medicine and the subsequent bond funding would lay the foundation for increased and sustained growth of our biotechnology industry in Hawaii. In addition, it would enable the state to retain some of the intellectual talent that the university develops, slowing our brain drain in this industry.

HB 1648 was deferred by a joint hearing of the House committees on Health and Higher Education. They have instead decided to commission a study on stem cell research. I certainly never oppose a substantive public policy analysis. I believe a lot of good comes out of such analysis. However, I will actively pursue legislation that sanctions and provides state funding for stem cell research in the 2006 legislative session.

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