Judge Forces Obama Admin to Stop Funding Embryonic Stem Cell Research

Judge Forces Obama Admin to Stop Funding Embryonic Stem Cell Research: "Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- A federal judge on Monday issued a decision forcing the Obama administration to stop funding embryonic stem cell research with taxpayer funds. The judge ruled the executive order Obama issued allowing such funding contravened a federal law prohibiting taxpayer funding of the destruction of human embryos.

U.S. district court Judge Royce Lamberth granted a preliminary injunction against the funding.

Judge Lamberth's ruling came in response to a lawsuit filed by stem cell researchers who said the Obama executive order and subsequent funding from the National Institutes of Health violated the Dickey amendment.

Judge Royce Lamberth noted that the imposition of an injunction required that those challenging the government's funding demonstrate a substantial likelihood of success on the merits for their arguments. Apparently, they succeeded.

'(Embryonic stem cell) research is clearly research in which an embryo is destroyed,' Lamberth wrote in the 15-page ruling

The Court noted, 'Embryonic stem cell (ESC) research necessarily depends upon the destruction of a human embryo,' and concluded that funding such research violates existing law.

The Obama administration can try to appeal the decision granting the preliminary injunction or could try to rewrite the guidelines to comply with the law. With the initial decision in place, both sides will likely present arguments about whether the order should be permanently blocked.

Dr. Theresa Deisher, of AVM Biotechnology and Dr. James L. Sherley, a former MIT professor and scientist, are parties to the lawsuit because they say the Obama order sends funding for their adult stem cell research to scientists working with unproven embryonic stem cells.

'There is no after-the-fact remedy for this injury because the Court cannot compensate plaintiffs for their lost opportunity to receive funds,' Lamberth wrote.

He said his order would not hurt embryonic stem cell researchers because they have the opportunity to find private funds.