Comments on: Hard Data: National Policies Limit Stem Cell Research Output http://scienceprogress.org/2008/07/hard-data-national-policies-limit-stem-cell-research-output/ Tue, 13 Sep 2011 13:59:48 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Jesse Reynolds http://scienceprogress.org/2008/07/hard-data-national-policies-limit-stem-cell-research-output/comment-page-1/#comment-2345 Jesse Reynolds Tue, 08 Jul 2008 18:51:52 +0000 http://www.scienceprogress.org/2008/07/hard-data-national-policies-limit-stem-cell-research-output/#comment-2345 Two aspects of this data set and analysis strike me as inconsistent with some of the conclusions. First, the relative difference is a better measure of performance. The US's absolute difference (-10%) is large because its control is large (46%). Using this would place the US tied for 10th of 16, if my counting is right. Second, while national policies are important, they are clearly not the only factor. Germany has the most restrictive policies among the nations listed, yet is about in the middle in both absolute and relative measurements. Several nations listed prohibit cloning-based stem cell research (SCNT), although the US does not. This list includes France, Canada, Netherlands, Italy, and - until very recently - Japan and Australia. Two aspects of this data set and analysis strike me as inconsistent with some of the conclusions. First, the relative difference is a better measure of performance. The US’s absolute difference (-10%) is large because its control is large (46%). Using this would place the US tied for 10th of 16, if my counting is right.

Second, while national policies are important, they are clearly not the only factor. Germany has the most restrictive policies among the nations listed, yet is about in the middle in both absolute and relative measurements. Several nations listed prohibit cloning-based stem cell research (SCNT), although the US does not. This list includes France, Canada, Netherlands, Italy, and – until very recently – Japan and Australia.

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