Scientists claim stem cell breakthrough

US and Japanese scientists say they’ve made a breakthrough in cultivating human cells. They’ve managed to reprogram skin cells to behave like stem cells, which are used to research cures for many diseases.

Some believe this breakthrough could end the need for using embryonic stem cells — a practice conservatives strongly oppose.

Bernadine Healy, the former head of the National Institute of Health spoke about the issue this morning.

Healy said, “Behind every embryo is a woman’s egg, those are harvested at risk to a woman’s life and eliminates the needs for the eggs and embryos and that is a big issue.”

President Bush has twice vetoed bills that would have eased restrictions on using federal funds to pay for embryonic stem cells research.