ScienceInsider reported yesterday on the latest court developments in the lawsuit over the 2009 Obama Administration policies encouraging stem cell research. The Appeals Court heard arguments in April on an appeal of a decision favoring the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Yesterday’s decision was three separate opinions that upheld the previous lower court decision ruling in favor of the NIH and dismissing the lawsuit. The three judges found no error in the District Court decision.
Of course, since we are not talking about the Supreme Court, there is still another level of appeal available for the researchers who have sued to stop NIH-supported stem cell research. Assuming that the Supreme Court opts to hear the case, it would not likely come before the Court for several months. In the meantime, the guidelines remain in place, as they have since the attempts at an injunction were thwarted in early 2011.
