Are the research and cures protected under the Missouri Constitution already allowed under federal and state law?
Yes. Current federal and state law allows stem cell research involving all types of stem cells including adult stem cells and early, or embryonic, stem cells (ES cells). Adult stem cells are found in body tissues, including tissues in the bodies of adults and in discarded umbilical cords and placentas. The two basic sources of ES cells are leftover fertility clinic embryos that would otherwise be discarded and a process called Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer (SCNT), a new medical breakthrough that provides a potential way to use a patient’s own cell and a donated, unfertilized egg to create ES cells in a lab dish. For more information about the different types of stem cells and their potential to provide cures, please see the following “About Stem Cells” FAQs and the “Diseases and Injuries” section of our website.
