Erica P. Johnson
A global effort is underway to determine whether embryonic stem cells can be used to treat a variety of conditions, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and Parkinson disease. Against a backdrop of scientific advance, countries around the world are taking divergent positions on the moral, legal, and business aspects of stem cell use. The pace of stem-cell technological development may be slowed as governments worldwide grapple with these politically charged issues.
The US government has taken an ambivalent approach in this regard. There is no federal prohibition against embryonic stem cell research (ESCR), for instance, while a patchwork of state regulations either permit or restrict ESCR. There is presidential support for federal funding of ESCR, but only research using those stem cell lines developed before August, 2001. By contrast, the United Kingdom and various Asian nations, such as Korea, China and Japan, provide a more uniform and generally ...
