By Donn Rubin, J.D.

In 2006, Missouri fought a battle over freedom of scientific inquiry in the search for cures. At the time, stem cell research was the issue at hand, but much more was at stake.

Would we allow our doctors and scientists to pursue their work on behalf of Missouri patients without the threat of undue interference? Or, did we want politicians and ideologues to determine the course of scientific inquiry and, potentially, to imprison those working to cure us or our loved ones of the most devastating injuries and disease?