HAVE HUMAN EMBRYONIC STEM CELLS BEEN USED SUCCESSFULLY TO TREAT ANY HUMAN DISEASES?
Human stem cell research is still in its very early stages. Scientists have only been able to do experiments with human embryonic stem cells only since 1998, when a group at the University of Wisconsin developed a technique to isolate and grow the cells. Federal funds to support such research have been available since the summer of 2001 when President Bush announced his decision on federal funding for stem cell research. As noted above, adult stem cells such as blood forming stem cells in bone marrow (hematopoietic stem cells or HSCs) are currently the only type of stem cell commonly used to treat human diseases. Physicians have been transferring HSCs in bone marrow transplants for over 40 years. More advanced techniques of collecting or harvesting HSCs are now used to treat leukemia, lymphoma, and various inherited blood disorders. WHAT IS THE FEDERAL POLICY ON STEM CELL RESEARCH? On August 9, 2001, President Bush announced that federal funds may be awarded for research using human em
