New Studies End Debate on Embryonic Stem Cell Research

    WASHINGTON, Nov. 20 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, Family Research
 Council President Tony Perkins praised the research of Dr. James Thomson
 and Dr. Shinya Yamanaka. Thomson, the first to grow human embryonic stem
 cells, and Yamanaka from Japan, published results in the journals Science
 and Cell, respectively, showing that embryonic-type stem cells can be
 produced directly from ordinary human skin cells, without first creating or
 destroying human embryos
 
     "Today's announcement is an historic achievement, and just as important
 this breakthrough was accomplished without the destruction or cloning of
 human life. This demonstrates what pro-lifers have been saying since the
 beginning," Mr. Perkins said. "It is never necessary to compromise ethics
 by destroying life in order to achieve scientific aims."
 
     "Dr. Thomson and Dr. Yamanaka have been able to expand drastically
 scientific frontiers while protecting human life. Scientists around the
 world can now produce and work with embryonic-type stem cells without
 concern for crossing ethical lines involving the destruction of human
 life."
 
     "These two scientists are to be congratulated for their work, and I
 applaud President Bush for holding the ethical line on stem cell research
 and for encouraging this type of groundbreaking science.
 
 
 
 

SOURCE Family Research Council