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Citizens in Missouri will be voting November 7 to decide whether to amend the state’s constitution for medical reasons.
The vote in Missouri may have national implications regarding the future of stem cell research and its implications. Both sides of the issue have launched aggressive media campaigns regarding the issue, and politicians are choosing sides.
The question becomes what exactly does the amendment allow and disallow.
The specific wording of the ballot questions is, "Shall the Missouri Constitution be amended to allow and set limitations on stem cell research, therapies, and cures which will:
• ensure Missouri patients have access to any therapies and cures, and allow Missouri researchers to conduct any research, permitted under federal law;
• ban human cloning or attempted cloning;
• require expert medical and public oversight and annual reports on the nature and purpose of stem cell research;
• impose criminal and civil penalties for any violations; and
• prohibit state or local governments from preventing or discouraging lawful stem cell research, therapies and cures?"
Opponents claim that the amendment will allow biotech companies to promote human cloning in the name of research. One organization, Missourians Against Human Cloning, has a web-site and radio ads claiming that the language of the amendment is sufficiently vague as to allow cloning if corporations justify it as research.
Other opponents claim that the amendment is vague as to whether it is in support of stem cell research or not. Still others view the amendment as acquiescing the state’s responsibility to the federal government by saying Missouri researchers would be allowed “to conduct any research permitted by federal law.”
Proponents, led by the Missouri Coalition for Lifesaving Cures, claim that the amendment is needed to make sure that politicians don’t take any action to prevent Missouri residents from accessing medical research completed with stem cells that results in new medical treatments.
The ads for the coalition feature doctors and prominent medical researchers discussing the types of diseases that scientists hope might be cured or at least treated due to stem-cell research. Specific diseases touted as targets for stem cell research include diabetes, Lou
Gehrig’s disease (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis ALS), Parkinson’s disease, cancer, sickle cell disease and many others.
The coalition has enlisted the support of former Senator and Epicopalian Minister John Danforth as well.
In a statement released by the coalition, Danforth said, “I'm pro-life. During my entire career, I voted pro-life. I strongly support the Stem Cell Research and Cures Initiative because it will save lives and because it respects the sanctity of life."
The issue has many complex sides that are side-stepped or addressed only by vagaries in the advertising. Danforth mentioned his anti-abortion stance, but did not discuss why that was pertinent to the amendment. The amendment does not limit the manner in which stem cells for research may be obtained.
Anti-abortion foes have at other times opposed stem cell research because stem cells can be obtained through aborted fetuses. The amendment does not address that issue.
Both sides also have made an issue of the discussion of human cloning. Opponents claim that the bill will allow or possibly even force government funding of human cloning. Proponents say the language of the amendment specifically forbids human cloning.
The amendment is a designed to define the state’s approach to a national issue aand will be decided Nov. 7.





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