NATIONAL BRIEFING / WASHINGTON
Stem cell research in the U.S. would expand under proposed rules allowing federal government funding for scientists who work with embryos that were created at fertility clinics but went unused.
The guidelines released by the National Institutes of Health would expand the number of stem cell lines available for research from the current 20 to an estimated several hundred, said Raynard S. Kington, acting NIH director.
The draft rules would ban U.S. funding to scientists using stem cells from embryos created solely for research purposes.
Embryonic stem cells can grow into any kind of tissue and may accelerate research into cures for diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
President Obama on March 9 lifted restrictions on U.S. government funding for the research imposed by President Bush.
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