The group of college and university leaders signed a letter to Secretary of Health and Human Services Tommy Thompson on March 26. In addition to medical cures, it offers enormous promise to uncover more fundamental decisions made by cells during development. It may stimulate advances in the medical treatment of debilitating diseases, such as Parkinson's Disease, diabetes, heart disease, multiple sclerosis, burns and spinal cord injuries.
Stem cells are distinctive in that they have the capacity to generate a variety of cell types.
The debate over stem cell research is polarized by controversy surrounding abortion and embryo rights. The cells may be isolated from either embryonic or aborted fetal tissue. She went on to clarify, however, that early human embryos are constantly created for the purposes of in-vitro fertilization and often created in excess. Policymakers in Washington have undertaken a review of the government's position on the issue. Their assessment will address the potential inconsistency of stem cell research with the ideology of the new Bush administration.