The Fate of Stem Cell Research in the New Congress & Administration

Federal funding for stem cell research is expected to change, as President-elect Obama has made clear his intent to overturn the funding restriction set by President Bush. Currently, federal funding for stem cell research can only be applied to human embryonic stem cell lines derived prior to August 9, 2001. It is possible that shortly after President-elect Obama's inauguration on January 20, he will sign an Executive Order (EO) to remove the current barriers to funding stem cell research. Click here for more information on the current state of federal funding for stem cell research at the National Institute of Health (NIH).