Issue Position: Health Care - Advancing Medical Research

Issue Position

Advancing Medical Research

Improving health care for America requires a continued federal investment in medical research. The National Institutes of Health supports innovative and foundational research programs, including many in South Central Wisconsin. The work of these researchers is critical to increasing our understanding of diseases and the development of new treatments to combat them. I will continue to be a strong advocate for adequate funding of these important medical research programs.

One specific area of medical research that holds enormous promise is stem cell research. Scientists have brought new hope to treating a number of diseases through stem cell research. Unfortunately, over the past few years, the federal government has provided limited funds for search on stem cells from human embryos.

I believe limiting federal funding for embryonic stem cell research will hamper advancements in medical research. Those whose loved ones suffer from Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, juvenile diabetes, or a spinal cord injury know the devastation these conditions cause. We should allow medical science to aggressively pursue this promising research because it holds enormous potential for the development of breakthrough therapies to treat these and other diseases.

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