Since you are reading this blog you are probably well aware that President Obama has signed the Executive Order reversing the Bush doctrine that limited Department of Health and Human Services funding of research involving human embryonic stem cells. As provided in the Order “The purpose of this order is to remove these limitations on scientific inquiry, to expand NIH support for the exploration of human stem cell research, and in so doing to enhance the contribution of America’s scientists to important new discoveries and new therapies for the benefit of humankind.”
While it is hard to estimate the numbers, over the last several years the U.S. has probably lost many researchers to other countries where the laws and funding might have been more favorable on stem cell research and related matters. A recent article by Thomas Friedman (The Open-Door Bailout, NYT 2-10-2009) makes the case that much more liberal immigration policy could do good things for reversing some of our current economic problems. It goes without saying that we don’t want immigration policies to put people in the U.S. out of jobs, but if the immigrants are smart and energetic they are more likely to help generate jobs rather than take them from current citizens. The Kauffman Foundation has been publishing a series of reports that deal with immigrants and entrepreneurship issues. Their most recent report was released last week and is entitled “America’s Loss is the World’s Gain: America’s New Immigrant Entrepreneurs, Part IV.” Researchers from Harvard, Duke, Berkley, etc make a case that less restrictive visa and immigration policies should be developed to improve the chances of retaining highly skilled immigrant workers and their families. Otherwise, as the article title suggests, China, India, and other countries will be the ones who gain from U.S. policies that on their face are designed to help U.S. citizens.