President Obama today lifted the ban imposed by President George W. Bush on federal funding of stem cell research. He called for depoliticizing science, and making decisions based on sound science rather than on ideological grounds. The Bush ban had been a boon to research overseas, where such study has progressed with strong support by governments. From the New York Times:

Limitations on federally funded research in American laboratories gave an indirect boost to such work abroad, particularly in Britain, where it received unabashed support.

“The current policy is eroding our national advantage on stem cell research,” Senator John Kerry, Democrat of Massachusetts, said during a congressional debate on the question in July 2006. “We’re tying our scientists’ hands. We’re holding back our doctors.”

Nancy Reagan issued a statement of support for the policy change, as did many others, especially within the scientific community. From Nancy Reagan:

I’m very grateful that President Obama has lifted the restrictions on federal funding for embryonic stem cell research. These new rules will now make it possible for scientists to move forward. I urge researchers to make use of the opportunities that are available to them, and to do all they can to fulfill the promise that stem cell research offers.

Countless people, suffering from many different diseases, stand to benefit from the answers stem cell research can provide. We owe it to ourselves and to our children to do everything in our power to find cures for these diseases – and soon. As I’ve said before, time is short, and life is precious.

Obama’s lifting of this ban has to be considered, in my opinion, one of the most important acts of his young presidency. This research has such great potential for aiding us to combat many different diseases.