Gov. Mike Johanns will send a letter to University of Nebraska officials asking them to stop using tissue from aborted human fetuses for research at the NU Medical Center. "The governor intends to indicate his very grave concern," said Chris Peterson, a spokesman for the governor. Johanns, who was traveling Monday in western Nebraska, probably will write to university officials in the next day or two, Peterson said. The Medical Center late Monday afternoon issued a statement defending its research into "neurodestructive" diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and multiple sclerosis. The research is particularly important to Nebraska because of its aging population, the statement said. Nebraska can play a critical role in uncovering the reasons for such diseases of the brain and in developing therapies or preventive measures. Kim Robak, a University of Nebraska vice president, said university officials are ready to discuss the Medical Center's human fetal-cell research with Johanns and policy-makers. "We want to discuss the importance of this research and why we are doing it," Robak said. "I think it's very important that we explain the potential positive benefits of the research. We have the possibility of finding a cure for Alzheimer's disease." It is a very emotional issue, Robak said, but the fetal tissue would be destroyed if not used for research. Chuck Hassebrook of Walthill, a member of the NU Board of Regents, said he does not have a problem with the research. Hassebrook said he is confident that the university is neither performing nor encouraging abortions through the research project. Scientists, he said, "are simply using tissue to do research . . . that can benefit people, ultimately." The World-Herald reported Sunday that Medical Center researchers are using human fetal brain cells in studies that they hope will lead to a better understanding of Alzheimer's disease and, perhaps, to better treatment. Preliminary studies began in 1993, and major studies supported by federal funds began two years ago. The fetal tissue comes from Dr. LeRoy Carhart, who operates an abortion clinic in Bellevue. He is not paid for the tissue, Medical Center officials said. Johanns said he opposes abortion, and the thought of fetal tissue being used for research disturbs him. He said he believes it also is disturbing to the majority of Nebraskans. If there is a way other than using aborted fetuses to obtain cells for research, that option should be evaluated, Johanns said. The speaker of the Legislature, Doug Kristensen of Minden, said Monday that if the university refuses to stop using tissue from aborted human fetuses, lawmakers may threaten to cut university funding. "I think it's in very poor political judgment and obviously sparks a debate that will question all sorts of other things they do," Kristensen said. Hassebrook said university administrators should have called the regents' attention to the federal grants that fund the research instead of including it in a long quarterly list provided for information only. "How many regents do you think carefully study all that?" he asked. "These are not the sorts of things you go through with a fine-tooth comb." He also said the limited notification that was given to the board apparently came last year after the funding had started. The university's central administration offices late Monday provided copies of 1997-98 summaries of four research projects that university officials identified for The World-Herald as involving human fetal brain cells. None explicitly uses the description "human fetal cells." The summaries were in materials that previously had been submitted to the regents for their information. One summary says "this research will supply brain tissues from autopsy, animal and/or fetal sources to investigators." It says one of the Medical Center's neuroscience center programs deals with "the isolation, cultivation and experimentation of brain tissues/cells from a variety of mammalian sources." The summaries of the other three research projects make no mention of fetal cells. About $400,000 in federal funds were received both in 1997 and 1998 for the research. They are part of $2.3 million over two years awarded to Dr. Howard Gendelman, director of the Center for Neurovirology and Neurodegenerative Diseases. Another regent, Robert M. Allen of Hastings, also expressed confidence in the research and the Medical Center. "I don't think they're doing anything wrong in what they're attempting to do here," he said. Asked whether the research bothered them, Regents Nancy O'Brien of Waterloo and Don S. Blank of McCook declined to comment. O'Brien, Blank and Allen said they could not remember any discussion about the research when funding was awarded. Regents Kent Schroeder of Kearney, Drew Miller of Papillion and Rosemary Skrupa of Omaha did not return phone calls seeking comment. The National Alzheimer's Association endorses the use of fetal tissue for research as long as there are safeguards to "protect against exploitation and commercialization of this procedure," according to a policy statement from the organization. "Research into innovative treatment approaches must be encouraged in order to reduce the devastating effects of this disease," the policy statement says. The association supports what it says are guidelines developed by the National Institutes of Health. Those include:  The decision to terminate a pregnancy and the procedures of abortion should be kept independent from the retrieval and use of fetal tissue.
Fetal tissue from induced abortions should not be used in medical research without the prior consent of the pregnant woman. Payments and other forms of . . . compensation associated with the procurement of fetal tissue should be prohibited, except for reasonable expenses (for) actual retrieval, storage, preparation and transportation of the tissue. Potential recipients of such tissues, as well as research and health-care participants, should be properly informed as to the source of the tissues in question. Procedures must be adopted that accord human fetal tissue the same respect accorded other cadaver human tissues. This report includes material from the Associated Press.
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