President Bush used last night's State of the Union address to give his stamp of approval--and promise of new government funding--to scientists advancing the use of skin cells to replace embryonic stem cells [1] in medical research. The breakthrough, Bush says, made it possible to move beyond the debate over ESCs. "So we are expanding funding for this type of ethical medical research."

Bush, of course, has steadfastly blocked funding [2] beyond a handful of stem cells lines that already existed when he was first elected to the presidency. There was no note in Bush's address of the ongoing debate over the possible safety issues still surrounding the use of ordinary skin cells in place of ESCs. Bush once again, though, called for a law banning human cloning technology. Just weeks ago a California company announced developing embryos through cloning.

- read this report [3] for more

Related Articles:
In breakthrough, scientists reprogram skin cells into ESCs. Report [4]
Stem cell advance runs into conservative roadblock. Report [5]
Stem cell researchers dour after Bush veto. Report [6]
Scientist's stem cell quest triggered by a startling moment. Report [7]
Debate over ESC research still hot. Report [8]