The Battle of the FDA and Stem Cell Research

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 In early July of 2011, Texas Governor Rick Perry used his own stem cells during a spinal fusion surgery without the approval of the FDA. (1) While the operation cost thousands of dollars, the use of the stem cells quickly sped up the healing process and Governor Rick Perry was very appreciative of the doctors who used the process. Although stem cell research represents a viable option for medical treatment, it is currently being blockaded by the FDA due to their hesitation about the validity of the research. While the FDA should have some input due to issues such as the controversy of pro-life enthusiasts, the decision should ultimately be left to local governments simply because Congress has determined medical practice to be a state issue rather than a federal one.

In the case of Governor Rick Perry, stem cells have been proven to be a great use of healing and the repairing of tissue from and to one’s own body . They are taken from a person’s body , cultivated, and then reinserted to help with regeneration and sometimes as new cells, such as nerve cells which are not typically regenerative. (2) The two types of stem cells are adult stem cells and embryonic stem cells. Embryonic stem cells are more commonly studied due to their flexibility in research and practice. This is also the more controversial of the two because it requires cells from an embryo. Both cells are very promising advancements in the medical world and have been used before with great results such as in the case of Rick Perry.

The FDA is a federally controlled division of government in charge of sanctioning drugs and cosmetics as well as food and food processes . The FDA claims that it has power over the regulation of stem cells which it categorizes as drugs. This however is not true. The medical practices of stem cells does not involve drugs. It involves the practice of using someone’s own stem cells . This practice of medicine has usually been a power left to the states. (3) It is also seen that the term “drug” can be left up to the FDA to determine, but according to Richard A. Epstein, a scholar from the Manhattan Institute, the Supreme Court has drawn that power from the FDA as seen in the case of the FDA v Brown & Williamson Tobacco.

[2] Another reason that the FDA may be waiting to give clear consent on whether the practice of stem cells is the fact that it is still considered a controversy among our society. This is because many pro-life enthusiasts feel as though the tampering of embryos is tampering with life and should not be allowed. While they make a compelling argument, the advancement of new technologies has made it so that actual embryos would not be needed. According to Hope Gillette, an editor for voxxi.com, scientists are in the process of using adult stem cells and converting them back to embryonic cells so that they can be used for research. (4) This would allow for more versatility when using and studying stem cells and would also allow for less controversy from pro-life enthusiasts. And with less controversy, the FDA may be more inclined to allow for the continuation of the practice and research involving stem cells.

The FDA should surely lessen restrictions for the continuation of advancements with stem cells. It has been a huge medical breakthrough in the past 10 years] and is trying to grow into something that can be beneficial to everyone. The FDA does not have much power in the first place to regulate it due to the fact that it should not be considered a drug. This medical practice is something that has usually been a power left to by the states . It is also in the process of becoming less of a practical issue in society with new evidence that actual embryos may not be harmed in the studies of stem cells. If the FDA steps back and allows stem cells continue to grow , we may be able to see great advancements in the field of medicine.


Works Cited

1. Saenz, Arlette. "Texas Gov. Rick Perry Received Experimental Stem Cell Therapy." ABC News. ABC News Network, 04 Aug. 2011. Web. 17 Mar. 2014.

2. Johnson, Carolyn Y. "Health & Wellness." BostonGlobe.com. N.p., 17 Feb. 2014. Web. 16 Mar. 2014.

3. Epstein, Richard A. "The FDA's Misguided Regulation of Stem-Cell Procedures." Legal Policy Report 17 | The FDA's Misguided Regulation of Stem-Cell Procedures: How Administrative Overreach Blocks Medical Innovation. N.p., Sept. 2013. Web. 18 Mar. 2014.

4.Gillette, Hope. "New Way to Create Embryonic Stem Cells May Eliminate controversy." Voxxi RSS. N.p., 30 Jan. 2013. Web. 18 Mar. 2014.


Photo Credits

1. Photo by Alain Alexander Mesa

2. Photo by William Murphy