By inserting genes into the skin cell of a mouse, scientists have been able to create embryonic stem cells. "The technique, if adaptable to human cells, is much easier to apply than nuclear transfer, would not involve the expensive and controversial use of human eggs, and should avoid all or almost all of the ethical criticism directed at the use of embryonic stem cells," reports The New York Times.
Scientists are elated by the new technique: "From the point of view of moving biomedicine and regenerative medicine faster, this is about as big a deal as you could imagine," said Irving Weissman, a leading stem cell biologist at Stanford University, who was not involved in the new research.
And so are pro-life Christians:
It "raises no serious moral problem, because it creates embryoniclike stem cells without creating, harming or destroying human lives at any stage," said Richard Doerflinger, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops' spokesman on stem cell issues. In themselves, embryonic stem cells "have no moral status," and the bishops' objections to embryonic stem cell research rest solely on the fact that human embryos must be harmed or destroyed to obtain them, Mr. Doerflinger said.
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