New Stem Cells Approved For Use

Last July, the Obama administration approved the harvesting and development of new lines of embryonic stem cells for research under certain guidelines. Scientists must have full parental approval and must use only "existing embryos that would otherwise be destroyed."

Until approval of the new guidelines, scientists were limited to 60 stem cell lines that were harvested before 2001 (when the Bush administration stopped development of new stem cell lines). According to Francis Collins, director of National Institutes of Health, the new guidelines have resulted in approval of 13 new stem cell lines being available for research use.

Collins said, "I am happy to say that we now have human embryonic stem cell lines eligible for use by our research community under our new stem cell policy." It is also hoped that 96 other stem cell lines will soon be available.

The best part is that the new lines are "far better candidates for successful research" because of the way in which they were created. This should be a big step forward in research for cures to many diseases.I have taken President Obama to task for some of his decisions (like Afghanistan), but he's right about this. It could save many lives.