In its 5:30 a.m. MT newscast on July 20, Denver's KCNC CBS4 uncritically aired a misleading claim by opponents of embryonic stem cell research that “patients can be positively treated with adult stem cells” for “more than 70 diseases.” The claim -- made by Carrie Gordon Earll, senior policy analyst for bioethics at Focus on the Family -- appeared during a report on President Bush's July 19 veto of the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act, which was co-sponsored by Rep. Diana DeGette (D-Denver). But stem cell researchers have said that this claim vastly overstates the number of diseases for which the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved treatment with adult stem cells.

After noting that DeGette -- a co-author of the bill -- predicted the veto would hurt Republicans politically, reporter Katherine Blake countered, “But political analysts aren't so sure.” As evidence, Blake cited only the analysis of “pollster Lori Weigel” without noting that Weigel is a partisan Republican pollster.

The broadcast included a clip of Earll declaring: “When you talk about adult stem cells, we've got more than 70 diseases now -- that patients can be positively treated with adult stem cells.”

As Colorado Media Matters has noted, the claim that some 70 diseases are currently being treated with adult stem cell therapies has been touted by David A. Prentice of the conservative Family Research Council. Researchers Shane Smith, William Neaves, and Steven Teitelbaum have refuted the claim in a letter to the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) for publication in the association's magazine, Science. The three found that FDA-approved adult stem cell treatments are available for only nine diseases. In a review of the references Prentice used in support of his claim, Smith, Neaves, and Teitelbaum wrote, “Prentice not only misrepresents existing adult stem cell treatments but also frequently distorts the nature and content of the references he cites.” The letter was posted on the AAAS website Science Express, which publishes “selected research papers, Perspectives, and other articles that have recently been accepted for publication in Science.”

Neaves and his colleagues cited several examples of diseases for which they said Prentice misrepresented the effectiveness of adult stem cell therapies. They wrote: “The reference Prentice cites for testicular cancer on his list does not report patient response to adult stem cell therapy; it simply evaluates different methods of adult stem cell isolation.” Similarly, “The reference Prentice cites on non-Hodgkin's lymphoma does not assess the treatment value of adult stem cell transplantation; rather, it describes culture conditions for the laboratory growth of stem cells from lymphoma patients.”

In her report on Bush's veto, Blake also noted that DeGette “says the president's fellow Republicans may pay the price in the November elections.” Blake then countered that “political analysts aren't so sure.” Blake named only one such “political analyst” -- “pollster Lori Weigel." Blake reported that Weigel believes that “more than likely ... today's veto really won't have much impact on the elections.” Blake also aired Weigel's assertions that "[t]he voters who are most focused on this issue are most likely to approve of this veto" and that “stem cell research may certainly motivate some voters, but the vast majority are going to be looking at a much broader spectrum.” At no point did Blake suggest that Weigel was anything other than a neutral analyst.

In fact, Weigel is a partner with and head of the Denver office of Public Opinion Strategies (POS), which describes itself as “the largest Republican polling firm in the nation.” POS' website lists the Colorado Republican Party on its “clients” page.

The Colorado congressional delegation's votes on the legislation split along party lines. House Republicans Marilyn Musgrave (Fort Morgan), Joel Hefley (Colorado Springs), Tom Tancredo (Littleton), and Bob Beauprez (Arvada), who is running for governor, voted against the measure on May 24, 2005, and against overriding Bush's veto on July 19, 2006. Democrats DeGette, Mark Udall (Eldorado Springs), and John Salazar (Manassa) voted for the measure on both occasions. Republican Sen. Wayne Allard voted against the bill, and Democratic Sen. Ken Salazar voted for the measure when it was considered in the Senate on July 18, 2006.

From KCNC CBS4's 5:30 a.m. MT news broadcast for July 20:

BLAKE: Colorado Congresswoman Diana DeGette believes President Bush is the one who made the mistake -- maybe the biggest one of his presidency -- by vetoing the embryonic stem cell research bill that she co-sponsored. And she says the president's fellow Republicans may pay the price in the November elections.

DeGETTE [video clip]: What gives this president the right to go against the wishes of three-quarters of the American people?

BLAKE: But political analysts aren't so sure.

WEIGEL [video clip]: The voters who are most focused on this issue are most likely to approve of this veto.

BLAKE: Some analysts believe those conservative voters could play a key role in the upcoming midterm elections, when voter turnout may be low. But more than likely, pollster Lori Weigel believes, today's veto really won't have much impact on the elections.

WEIGEL [video clip]: I think that in the scope of things, in the scope of a war in Iraq, gas prices and energy costs, and all the other challenges that America is facing right now, that stem cell research may certainly motivate some voters, but the vast majority are going to be looking at a much broader spectrum.

BLAKE: Katherine Blake, CBS4 News.

BROOKE WAGNER (co-anchor): Colorado representative Diana DeGette says tens of millions of Americans could have been helped by expanding federal funding of stem cell research, and she believes those voters and their families will show their dissatisfaction with today's veto -- yesterday's veto, that is -- at the polls in November.

TOM MUSTIN (co-anchor): Some are calling the veto a setback. Scientists at the University of Colorado have been searching for a cure for Parkinson's disease for nearly a decade, and they say they're close. Some opponents of stem cell research do support using adult cells for research, but supporters say embryonic stem cells are the key.

DR. CURT FREED (University of Colorado scientist) [video clip]: The ethical issue, I think, is whether tissue should be thrown away or used to help people. That's a very easy ethical dilemma to me.

EARLL [video clip]: When you talk about adult stem cells, we've got more than 70 diseases now that patients can be positively treated with adult stem cells.