Stem Cell Injunction Remains Lifted

An appeals court decided on Sept. 28 that federal funding for human embryonic stem cell research can continue while the court considers the government’s appeal of a lower court’s preliminary injunction. The injunction, which was issued on Aug. 23 by Chief Judge Royce C. Lamberth of the Federal District Court for the District of Columbia, requires NIH to stop funding human embryonic stem cell research until a lawsuit involving such research is resolved. The lawsuit was filed by two adult-stem-cell researchers who claim that NIH’s stem cell policy violates the Dickey-Wicker Amendment because it allows federal funding of research that destroys human embryos. On Sept. 9, the appeals court granted an emergency request to temporarily resume federal funding for human embryonic stem cell research while the litigation proceeds (C&EN, Sept. 13, page 6).