Appeals Court Allows Stem Cell Funding 09/09 13:02

   WASHINGTON (AP) -- A federal appeals court on Thursday permitted federal 
funding of stem cell research to proceed temporarily until the court rules on 
the merits of the Obama administration's position in the case.

   The government is asking the appeals court in Washington to strike down a 
preliminary order by U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth blocking federal 
funding for some stem cell research.

   The three-member appeals panel says it is suspending Lamberth's ruling for 
now. The appeals judges say they want more time to deal with issues in the 
government's appeal.

   The appeals court said the purpose of its administrative stay was to give 
the judges sufficient opportunity to consider the merits of the Justice 
Department's emergency motion which seeks to suspend Lamberth's ruling.

   Thursday's move "should not be construed in any way as a ruling on the 
merits" of the Justice Department's motion, said the appeals judges in their 
three-paragraph order.

   Twenty-two stem cell projects around the country were scheduled to receive 
new checks in September, and thus were presumed to be planning to stop work 
when their money ran out.

   Lisa Hughes, president of the Coalition for the Advancement of Medical 
Research, says her organization is very pleased that the appeals court has 
taken the step.

   "It is crucial that federal funding for human embryonic stem cell research 
be restored permanently and this stay is a step in that direction," Hughes said 
in a statement. "While this issue continues to be argued in the courts, we call 
on Congress to move swiftly to resolve this issue and secure the future of this 
important biomedical research."


(CZ)