August 27
,
2012
by: ASRM Office of Public Affairs
Published in ASRM Bulletin Volume 14, Number 48
This morning, a three judge Federal Appeals Court panel unanimously affirmed a lower court decision in Sherley v. Sebelius, allowing NIH funding of human embryonic stem cell research to continue.
The plaintiffs contended that the language in the Dickey-Wicker amendment (an annual add-on to federal budget legislation) barring the federal funding of embryo research also banned human embryonic stem cell research. A lower court had ruled the language was ambiguous and that the Obama administration's interpretation was reasonable.
The plaintiffs have 45 days to petition for rehearing by the full Appeals Court. They may also appeal directly to the U.S. Supreme Court.
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