Governor Approves Stem-Cell Research

Gov. James E. McGreevey on Sunday signed a stem-cell research bill that supporters say creates new hope for millions of Americans with conditions ranging from diabetes to Parkinson's disease.

New Jersey is the second state to allow stem-cell research. Its legislation mirrors a measure already approved in California.

McGreevey was joined Sunday by state lawmakers who shepherded the bill, and by actor Christopher Reeve, who was paralyzed by a 1995 fall from a horse and has become an advocate for increased funding for research.

"Today we celebrate the possible in our state," McGreevey told a crowd of several hundred people at the Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation.

"We understand the importance of moving forward and having a forward-looking vision where we understand that suffering and pain are not to be tolerated forever, ... that man is gifted with a great mind, and it is our obligation as a people and as a state to move the frontiers of science forward."

Reeve, a former resident of Princeton, said Sunday was "the proudest day" for him and his extended family.

Stem cells are produced in the first days of pregnancy and help create the human body. Scientists hope to someday direct stem cells to grow into replacement organs and tissues to treat a wide range of diseases.

But to harvest stem cells, researchers must destroy days-old embryos -- a procedure condemned by the Roman Catholic Church, abortion foes and others.

Supporters of the measure said adult stem cells can't be used for the same type of research as embryonic cells.

Reeve said many people have asked what stem cells could do to cure his spinal cord injury, but he said "it is not about what stem cells will do for one individual."

"What it's about, this legislation, is about whether or not we have the courage to protect the freedom of ethical and responsible scientific inquiry," Reeve said.

President Bush has prohibited the use of federal dollars for embryonic stem-cell research, but no limits were placed on private funding.

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