http://www.house.gov/commerce_democrats/press/106st107.htm
Opening Statement of Hon. John D. Dingell
Ranking Member of the Committee on Commerce
Markup of: H.R. 1089, Mutual Fund Tax Awareness Act of 1999;
H.R. 887, Requiring Disclosure of Charitable Contributions;
H.R. 1954, Rental Fairness Act of 1999;
Contempt report against Dr. Miles Jones
March 15, 2000
(snip)
With respect to the contempt report against Dr. Miles Jones, the Subcommittee on Health and Environment voted to unanimously to find Dr. Jones in contempt, and I agree with their decision. Dr. Jones recently made statements on the television show 20/20 that on their face suggest possible criminal activities in the procurement and sale of fetal tissue in violation of Federal law. This Committee issued a valid subpoena to Dr. Jones to appear before the Subcommittee as part of its investigation into this subject, and Dr. Jones has ignored it. Indeed, he has failed to even provide an explanation for his decision not to honor the subpoena. In 1993 this Committee wrote a law to ensure that important medical research involving fetal tissue could be conducted, while adhering to strict ethical guidelines. We remain committed to ensuring that the requirements of the law are followed. We are also committed to ensuring that a subpoena to testify before the Committee is not ignored. Therefore, I expect the vote on this matter to be unanimous.
http://www.australasianbioethics.org/Media/20020817-MC.html
Fickle fortunes of biotech biz
by Michael Cook
The Weekend Australian, 17 August 2002
Embryonic science is proving a hard sell, reports Michael Cook
(snip)
Stem Cell Sciences has become a world leader in supplying purified mouse embryonic stem cells to big pharmaceutical firms such as Aventis, Glaxo Wellcome, Genentech, and Smithkline Beecham. ES Cell says it is negotiating for ``a number of drug discovery licensing deals'' using its human embryonic cell lines, probably including toxicity testing.
For months Queensland senator Ron Boswell has been muttering that drug companies, not children with diabetes or grandparents with Parkinson's disease, will be the beneficiaries of embryonic stem cell research.
``The prospect of exporting embryo stem cell lines grown on aborted fetal tissue paints a sordid picture of the reality of the commercialisation that lies ahead,'' he tells The Weekend Australian.
In the long term, no one knows whether the fabled cures will come and whether the commercialisation will have been worthwhile. But, in the short term, Boswell may well be on the money.