Scientists Create Tailor Made Stem Cells
Posted on May 23, 2005
The big news in science health news this week was a report from South Korea that a group of scientists have found a way to create stem cells that match the genes of the patients. Because stem cells can be used to grow cells for many different tissues, organs, bones, etc. this could be an incredible breakthrough if it turns out to be true. Scientists will try and reproduce the results found by the South Korean scientists in other labs around the world. The BBC has an article about the discovery. This raises big questions for medical research here in the United States? With the possibility of enormous health benefits why is the U.S. government not pouring money into stem cell research? The answer is that President Bush and some far-right religious groups claim the procedure is unethical because it uses stem cells from cloned embryos. However, a similar procedure is used with in vitro fertilization and you don't hear these same politicians arguing against this procedure. Unfortunately, President Bush has already announced that he will veto any bill that comes his way that increases embryonic stem cell funding or lessens current restrictions.