Boston, Mass., Oct 11, 2005 / 22:00 pm
A report in yesterday’s New York Times chronicled a team of scientists who are making strides to find medical cures through the use of embryonic stem cells. The hook? No human embryos necessary.
Scientists think that stem cells from early-stage human embryos have the potential to grow into almost any of the body’s organs or tissues. The problem is that to obtain the cells, a human life must be destroyed in the process--something which has been expressly forbidden by the Catholic Church and many pro-life groups.
According to the Times report, Dr. Rudolf Jaenisch of M.I.T. and Dr. George Daley of Harvard Medical School, are trying to create embryonic-cells without the embryos, and thereby more in line with Christian medical ethics.
The new method could allow scientists to create a small group of basic cells--independent of a human embryo which would only last for a total of a few weeks.