Britain opened the world’s first national stem cell bank in May, establishing a new era in medical research. Stem cells are master cells that turn into human tissue, and scientists believe they could replace diseased cells in people with certain diseases. After human embryos are created for the research they are destroyed. The bank will accept stem cells from adult sources as well as from unborn children.
In the United States, researchers can use federal money to study human embryonic stem cells from cell lines in existence by Aug. 9, 2001. LIFE, a pro-life group, opposes stem cell banks, calling the use of embryos “unethical,” according to the Associated Press.
(EP)
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