There are many diseases, which have already been helped by the adult stem cells. .
Most scientist however believe that embryo stem cells hold the most promise for a range of cures because these cells can develop into any of the bodies tissues. Scientist and researchers believe that federal funding will help attract the best scientist and help the research grow rapidly. The ethical debate is that potential life is been destroyed in order to perform this research. There is another side of the argument and that is if these embryos holding the stem cells are going to be wasted and thrown away shouldn't they be used for the greater good. Some researchers argue this statement with the belief that the five day old cluster of cells is not an embryo or an individual, it has the potential for life but isn't life because it can't survive on it's own. Ethicist argues that those clusters are as much of a person as anyone roaming the planet. .
The President's decision was that he was against human cloning. He felt that the estimated 60 stem cells that are been researched privately should be federally funded because the embryos were already destroyed and the stem cells have the possibility of regenerating themselves indefinitely. He also supports aggressive federal funding for umbilical cord placenta, animal and adult stem cells. The government will spend $ 250 million on this type of research. Finally the President decided to name a President's council to monitor stem cell research which will set guidelines and regulations, the council will consist of scientists, doctors, ethicists, lawyers, theologians and others, and would be chaired by Dr. Leon Kass.
August 27, 2001 Tommy G. Thompson announced that the National Institutes of Health named the 10 laboratories throughout the world that had the estimated 60 stem cells that President Bush allowed federal funding for. Thompson further explained that these labs have maintained the cultures and those they were viable and was undergoing population doubling.
