Bush Issues Second Stem Cell Veto
President Bush for the second time has vetoed legislation that would have expanded federal funding for human embryonic stem cell research. The bill, the “Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2007” (S. 5), would have allowed federal funding of human embryonic stem cell research if the embryos were donated from in vitro fertilization clinics and would otherwise have been discarded. In addition, the legislation called for the written, informed consent of individuals donating embryos, and prohibited financial inducements for donation. President Bush said he could not support legislation that would lead to the deliberate destruction of human embryos. Instead, the President supports efforts such as adult stem cell research and the use of umbilical cord blood. President Bush also issued an executive order directing the Health and Human Services department and the National Institutes of Health to ensure that any human pluripotent stem cell lines “produced in ways that do not create, destroy, or harm human embryos” are eligible for federal funding. The order also expands the NIH Human Embryonic Stem Cell Registry to include all types of pluripotent stem cells and renames it the Pluripotent Stem Cell Registry. The “executive order directing NIH to continue pursuing [alternative forms] of research is nothing new, since NIH has already been conducting this research for the past 20 years,” Sean Tipton, the president of the Coalition for the Advancement of Medical Research, said in a statement. “[He] isn't fooling anyone with this executive order, and the fact that it doesn't change the policy adds insult to injury for the millions of patients who suffer every day.”
Alzheimer's Programs Recognized
The Alzheimer's Foundation of America recently awarded “Excellence in Care” status to two dementia care programs that met standards for high performance. The two programs, both based in New York City, are the first to receive this designation from the group. The Alzheimer's Foundation of America began the program last November and to date has trained about 40 specialists to conducted on-site evaluations and to work with facilities to improve their performance and adopt best practices. The recognized facilities are the 80th Street Residence, an assisted living facility, and Ozanam Hall, a skilled geriatric and short-term rehabilitation facility. More information on the Excellence in Care recognition program is available online at
Veterans Epilepsy Bill Introduced
New federal legislation would establish six centers of excellence aimed at treating epilepsy among veterans, including those who develop the condition following traumatic brain injury. The bill is the latest piece of legislation that calls for devoting more resources to address the consequences of traumatic brain injury in returning soldiers. The legislation (H.R. 2818) would establish epilepsy “centers for excellence” within the Department of Veterans Affairs that would focus on research, education, and clinical care. “Many of our brave veterans will develop epilepsy following a traumatic brain injury,” Eric R. Hargis, president and CEO of the Epilepsy Foundation, said in a statement. “The difficulty is that the epilepsy often will not become apparent for 3 to 5 years or more post injury. These centers [will ensure] that our veterans will still receive excellent care for a condition they developed as a consequence of military service.” The bill was introduced by Rep. Ed Perlmutter (D-Colo.) and was referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
AMA: Investigate Store Clinics
The American Medical Association has called for investigations into potential conflicts of interest that are posed by joint ventures between store-based health clinics and pharmacy chains. Physicians at the AMA's House of Delegates in Chicago voted to ask state and federal agencies to determine whether these joint ventures pose a threat to patients' welfare. “There are clear incentives for retailers to participate in the implementation and operation of store-based health clinics,” said AMA board member Dr. Peter Carmel in a statement. “The nation's physicians want the AMA to ensure these incentives do not compromise the basic obligation of store-based clinics to provide patients with quality care.” Additionally, the AMA noted that some insurers are allowing store-based clinics to waive or lower their patients' copayments even as they are still requiring physicians to collect such payments. The House of Delegates, noting concerns that these lower copayments for in-store clinics could inappropriately steer patients to the clinics on the basis of cost rather than quality of care, voted to seek equal treatment for physicians regarding health insurers' copayment policies.