Gov. Robert Ehrlich announced his four appointments to the state stem cell research commission Thursday, inaugurating the next phase of a contentious and often agonized debate over use of state funds for the controversial science.
“There has been a lot of smoke and mirrors surrounding this issue,” Ehrlich said, standing on the manicured lawn of Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. “Science will dominate and the scientists and the good people on this commission will dictate how this money will be spent.”
The governor appointed the following members to the stem cell commission: Bowen Weisheit, board member of the Maryland Chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation; Jack Chow, former assistant director general of the World Health Organization; Joseph Capizzi, biomedical ethics expert and professor at Catholic University of America; and Joel Emeritus, rabbi emeritus of Chizuk Amuno Congregation.
The commission is charged with reviewing and approving stem cell research projects eligible for state funding.
The Maryland General Assembly approved a bill earlier this year to commit $15 million toward stem cell research.
The bill also included millions in tax credits to encourage biotechnology companies to locate in Maryland, and money to support research at the University of Maryland.
The issue sparked heated and emotional debate among lawmakers, and even raised the possibility of a rare filibuster in the Senate. Opponents objected to the use of state money for research using embryonic stem cells, a technique they say is tantamount to abortion because it requires the destruction of human embryos.
Proponents argued embryonic stem cells may hold the best chance to find a cure for a number of degenerative diseases, including Alzheimer?s and Parkinson?s.
State Sen. Paula Hollinger said the commission could now begin reviewing research applications, and said she was happy with the governor?s picks.
“So many of the people named were people we worked with through all this,” said Hollinger, who is also a candidate for Maryland?s Third District Congressional seat.
Senate President Thomas Mike Miller said the time had come to move on.
“It was a very divisive issue and we were able to get it through the Senate with some pushing and tugging,” he said. “The governor?s own party didn?t support him on this. It?s difficult to separate science from religious philosophy in the minds of many people.”
The remaining 11 commission members were previously appointed by Miller, House Speaker Michael Busch, the University System of Maryland and Johns Hopkins University.
