One Japanese genetics researcher seems to think so. Dr. Shinya Yamanaka thinks that it will be possible to make embryonic-like stem cells without embryos a readily available prototype within “six months to a year,” and “Within two to three years we may be able to create a stem cell that is indistinguishable from one taken from an embryo.”

Well, that would appear to solve everyone’s problems now, wouldn’t it?

The potential of Professor Yamanaka’s breakthrough work – in which the skin cells of laboratory mice were genetically manipulated back to their embryonic state – has been hailed as the equivalent of “transforming lead into gold”. If the research develops in the way he hopes, runs the excited logic, the ethical problems that have swirled around embryonic stem-cell research would disappear.

No longer would the field, which experts believe could unlock cures for diseases such as diabetes and Parkinson’s, be hampered by controversy arising from the use of human embryos.

Ah, but these stories wouldn’t be complete without their ridiculous and false claims about embryonic stem cell research. First, Dr. Yamanaka made it very clear that we can’t let the, “optimism over my science hold us back from conducting research on embryonic stem cells while we are waiting for the alternative.” But the ridiculousness came when he urged the scientific community:

“Do not stop stem-cell research with human embryos, because patients will die if you do stop.”

Now, honestly, was that necessary? He can’t possibly believe that research on ESCs has any bearing on whether patients live or die at this stage in the game since they have yet to treat a single human person successfully. In fact scientists are now starting to admit that therapies from this research are still years away!

Now, repeat after me: “THERE IS NO BAN ON ANY CLONING OR EMBRYONIC STEM CELL RESEARCH IN THE UNITED STATES!!!” In the subsection of the article, How Countries Regulate Stem Cell Research, it says:

Countries that prohibit stem-cell research or allow it only on cells obtained from abroad or those predating the legislation include the US, although California has its own rules allowing SCNT

There is NO ban on any kind of stem cell research in the United States. We don’t even have a ban on human cloning. Researchers throughout this country can, if they so choose, lawfully conduct whatever kind of dehumanizing research their little hearts desire. They just may not be able to get federal funding for it – and THAT’S why everyone thinks we have a ban.

The bottom line of this story, though, is that soon scientists may be able to create the pluripotent stem cells that they desire from human embryos without having to create or destroy a living being in the process. Which would seem to make ESC research obsolete. And that’s a good thing (as Martha would say).

See more on this story at Life Site News