Obama gives stem cells a go

A stem cell is a type of cell that can turn into any other type of cell in the human body. Our organs, muscles and even bones were formed out of stem cells when we were just embryos. Many say the researches on the embryonic stem cells can lead to medical breakthroughs; however, it raises ethical questions. 

Former President George W. Bush did not let anybody use government money to support researches on stem cells. Current President Barack Obama decided to lift all the restrictions on the funding of these projects, saying: “The restrictions that President Bush has placed on funding of human embryonic stem cell research have handcuffed our scientists.” This decision comes as a promise from the current president who said that if elected he would not let politics interfere with any scientific research, and he would reverse the decision of the Bush administration. 

Note that stem cells can also be created without using any embryos. But of course to develop such techniques would require again a huge amount of money, which cannot be raised without any significant support. Therefore several researches welcomed Obama’s decision. Dr George Daley of the Harvard Stem Cell Institute said: "I feel vindicated after eight years of struggle, and I know it's going to energise my research team.” 

But there will always be people who protest against stem cell researches. For example, Dr Robert Evans, a pastor and bioethicist, who expressed his views to BBC early this year: “What it signals is that the human embryo has been denied moral standing and a corresponding right to life. As an evangelical who believes all life is created equal in the image of God, and that we have moral standing from the moment of conception, I would view that as a very chilling decision." 

Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7929690.stm