Today the US House of Representatives passed another stem cell bill by a vote of 253 to 174. The bill would authorize federal support for research using stem cells derived from excess embryos that fertility clinics would otherwise discard. President Bush vetoed the bill the last time it came to his desk, and he has promised that he would veto it again.

Bush has used a very weak “ethical” argument to support his position on the bill, yet several states, house representatives and senators were re-elected on a stem cell position. The scientific community supports the research, yet the Bush administration looks the other way again on a scientific issue.

Clearly stem cell research is one of the biological issues that has created a great deal of controversy. However, of the key biological issues, the evidence from reputable polls is that the public supports federal support for research using stem cells. The public sees through the hype of the right to the long term benefits of research. Medical researchers widely submit that stem cell research has the potential to dramatically alter approaches to understanding and treating diseases, and to alleviate suffering. There is much literature on the ethics involved in using stem cells and pros and cons of the research. Here are a few places to turn:

Stem Cell Controversy
More See Benefits of Stem Cell Research
National Institutes of Health Stem Cell Information Page