The Promise of Stem Cell Research. From NIH Stem Cell Information

I have been tired of the ethic debate on embryonic stem cell research for long but this time the debate seems far from cooling down. See the recent NYT report and the reactions to it.

Never? or just not now, not here, or not like this? Some time ago American scientists published their finding on Nature introducing a protocol to yield hES cell lines allegedly not by killing the embryo. This ethically releasing finding, however, did not pacify the opponents at all. Critics that suspected this ‘humane’ protocol sprang from everywhere. It seems that the search for more humane protocols of ES research is not welcome. They don’t expect any development in this field; they don’t anticipate one day they can get their embryos back, intact, after donation for ES research. Their answer to hES research is permanently rather than temporarily, negative.

I did a search in Chinese papers on hES, interestingly they get their cells mostly from the US. One paper acknowledged for the kindness presents from Howard Hughes Medical Institute, and another reported the cells were bought from BresaGen Limited. I guess if the US government one day would block the research on ES nationwide, the stem cell company could still make their money worldwide, china being the biggest business partner, perhaps.