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American Morning

President Bush's Decision For Limited Stem Cell Research

Aired August 17, 2001 - 10:26   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Questions surrounding embryonic stem cell research still remain even after President Bush's to back limited funding for further study.

One concern right now: how much access will researchers actually have to stem cells that are now in private hands?

While the president is vacationing this week at his Texas ranch, CNN White House correspondent Major Garrett joins us now from nearby Crawford, Texas. Good morning, Major.

MAJOR GARRETT, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Leon. As you just said, one of the big questions facing medical researchers and all those concerned about the question of future embryonic stem cell research is how much access will those researchers actually have.

When the president made his announcement to back federal support for limited embryonic stem cell research he said there were 60, maybe as many as 69 available lines of stem cells.

Well, the day after the president made that announcement I had a chance to talk to Health and Human Services secretary, Tommy Thompson. I asked him: well, how much access does the government have right now to those stem cell lines?

Here's is what he told me: all the entities have agreed to cooperate with registering for lines, the stem cell lines. We assume everyone is going to cooperate, but we don't have a contract yet.

Well that's a key declaration from Mr. Thompson. The government doesn't have a contract yet for any of the stem cell lines, some are held by research foundations. One of those research foundations is at University of Wisconsin, in Tommy Thompson's own home state where he used to be governor. Others are held in private hands, both the United States and around the world.

Right now the federal government is trying to obtain access, contractually, to those stem cell lines, without it the research can't begin. Leon.

HARRIS: All right. Major Garrett reporting live for us this morning from Crawford, Texas. Thank you.

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