By AVA TURNQUEST

Tribune Staff Reporter

aturnquest@tribunemedia.net

PARLIAMENTARIANS yesterday criticised FNM Leader Dr Hubert Minnis for opposing stem cell legislation when the former administration had already licensed a research facility in the absence of a regulatory framework.

Central and South Eleuthera MP Damian Gomez, with several other government members, charged that the FNM approved the adult stem cell research facility, Okyanos, “in principle” in Grand Bahama before they demitted office.

Mr Gomez charged that the Free National Movement’s party mantra was “yes, but not now”, adding that Dr Minnis had taken a schizophrenic position on the matter.

During her contribution, South Beach MP Cleola Hamilton said she and former colleagues denied requests to harvest placenta and umbilical cord blood due to the lack of legal framework.

She said: “While practising my colleagues and I were given instructions to harvest placenta and collect cord blood to send to (GB facility] for stem cell research and treatment, which we refused to do.”

“When I was asked my opinion as the [nurses] union president I told them we did not see any written policies, we have not seen any regulation, there are no laws giving us the right to do it, and the mechanism for obtaining permission from the owner of the placenta, which is the mother, was not in place.”

Ms Hamilton did not provide a timeline for the request, and it was unclear up to press time who issued the alleged instructions.

However, yesterday Dr Duane Sands confirmed that the Okyanos facility was less than two years old, and would not have been involved in any harvesting.

In 2004, former Minister of Heath Dr Marcus Bethel shut down stem cell research facility Immuno Augmentative Therapy (IAT), as he warned that the country was not a “playground” for unsanctioned research.

According to Dr Bethel, umbilical cord blood samples of six maternity patients at the Rand Memorial Hospital were collected without authorization, and with no record of funds received.

Dr Bethel explained that the IAT research programme was suspended because it had not met ministry requirements.  

Dr Minnis has accused the government of pushing forward with the stem cell research and therapy Bill because of promises to millionaire Peter Nygard who stood to gain financially from the industry once it was regulated.

Dr Minnis said it seemed that the Christie administration was rushing to implement the Bill.

Yesterday, Dr Minnis explained, he felt the government did not have the capacity to police the industry.

Ms Hamilton added: “It stands to reason that someone encouraged (Dr Minnis) to reopen this centre or is he worried that another research centre will compete with the one he reopened during his tenure, might I add without any laws or any regulation and in function for years. He has the audacity to try to vilify this government, who is doing the right thing by enacting the law.”