US faces science brain drain after Europe backs stem cell funding

[Judi Lynn]

US faces science brain drain after Europe backs stem cell funding

· Disillusioned researchers could move to UK
· Debate divides members but ends in compromise

Nicholas Watt in Brussels
Tuesday July 25, 2006
The Guardian

The United States is risking a "brain drain", in which its scientists will flock across the Atlantic, after the EU reached a "historic" deal yesterday on human embryonic stem cells.

A week after George Bush limited federal funds for the highly sensitive area, the EU warned Washington that "disillusioned" US scientists will want to make the most of Europe's more liberal rules.

Lord Sainsbury, Britain's science minister, said: "There are a group of American scientists who are very disillusioned. In this field we have seen US scientists coming to the UK. If the US continues to take this very negative position I think within this field of regenerative medicine we will see scientists come from America and from other parts of the world, who would have gone to America, to the UK instead."

His remarks came after EU science ministers agreed to allow part of the union's expanded £37bn science budget to be spent on research into human embryonic stem cells. Berlin had attempted to block the funding on the grounds that it did not want its taxpayers' money to fund sensitive research which is subject to strict limits in Germany.
(snip/...)

http://www.guardian.co.uk/genes/article/0,,1828069,00.html?gusrc=rss

[rurallib]

1. Yep - talked to a promising young man a year ago

22 & finishing his PHD in physics. No way would he stay in America because of the way they view scientists.

[bennywhale]

9. Your right its not just stemmcel research, but the whole

of science, including evolution (for the love of god the rest of the sane world shouts)

This could be very bad news for America as a power

[saigon68]

13. Lot's of religious fanatics here

This is Germany

No way you could have a float like this in any parade in the Hateful Fundy USA




"I HAD AN ABORTION"

[panader0]

2. Brain drain is right... Soon every third world country will have the

technology that assholeface denies to the US. In the name of the LORD.

[Vidar]

3. Anyone that can afford to should get out while they can.

[HereSince1628]

4. But Bush wants no scientists, just good church going engineers

Scientists ask questions that just cause trouble. If we were losing engineers, that'd be different, engineers solve the problems of real Amurikans and don't get all messed up in academic freedom, liberalism, social relativism, evolution and all that nonsense. :eyes:

[Connie_Corleone]

5. "Gimme that ol' time religion. It's good enough for me."

[HereSince1628]

6. Yeah and you know engineers actually "take orders"

scientist. Crikey, getting them on the same page as the Boss is like trying to herd cats.

[Monkeyman]

7. Replugs want no one with a Education they won't vote for them

[rude boy]

8. About all this stupidity does

is make it so the US will end up with no patent rights to the medical cures that are derived from the research. When the Republican supporters of this ban have loved ones who are dying of illnesses which will have cures made possible by stem cell research there's no way they will refuse the life saving treatment. It doesn't get more foolish than this.

[Guaranteed]

10. Not surprising. You hear right-wingers constantly harping on

Arabs for choosing not to move forward with Westerners culturally centuries ago (and then using that as an excuse to abuse them).

Well, look what we're doing, now. We're missing the bus.

[pokercat999]

11. They'll be back after we elect some real progressives to

"take over" congress and in 08 when we elect a PROGRESSIVE president. Order of business for the new prez:
1st day reverse all of Bush's executive orders
2nd day withdraw all troops from Iraq, followed by all troops outside the borders of the US
3rd day present free national health care program to the congress and demand it's passage into law
4th day arrest and detain Bush and all his henchmen/henchwomen, extradite any that have fled the country, refer them to the Hague for prosecution
5th day start work with congress to review all laws with the goal of repealing all "anti personal freedom" laws
6th reverse all laws that give corporations the same rights and standings as individuals
7th day...take a break, you deserve it, don't go to any church...flaunt it, play poker instead.

Of course many advances will have already been made by the progressive congress and impeachment hearing may actually be underway with enough evidence piled up to refer the case directly to the Hague.

It's fun to dream, now back to reality, The 06 and 08 elections have been stolen again by diebolt. An FBI/CIA/NSA raid broke up a small group of American revolutionaries meeting in Philadelphia............

[Betty]

12. someday, we'll have to go overseas to get treatments

for serious illnesses, which will insure that only the wealthiest can get good health care... but that's already the case anyways. bush just wants to make it even harder on the rest of us.

[raccoon]

14. Maybe some curanderas will come to El Norte to help us

average middle and lower-income folks.