President Bush's veto will be upheld -- Scientists admit embryonic stem cell research has been over-hyped

Contact: Sarah Rode, Concerned Women for America, 202-488-7000 ext. 127

WASHINGTON, April 11 /Christian Newswire/ -- Concerned Women for America (CWA) criticized the Senate vote today to spend tax dollars on destructive embryonic research.  It failed to garner enough votes to override President Bush's anticipated veto. 

Wendy Wright, President of CWA, said, "The debate on this bill relied on massive misinformation and unconscionable manipulation of patients. The lack of votes to override President Bush's promised veto may reflect the fact that scientists have recently admitted that embryonic stem cell research does not hold the promise that has been claimed and in the wake of breaking news of success with adult stem cells, making embryonic research both unethical and unnecessary."

Embryonic stem cell pioneer James Thomson stated last month that the research faces major obstacles, including the problem that transplants in animals tend to result in deadly cancer.  Thomson also divulged that finding treatments for patients is not the primary promise of embryonic stem cell research.  The most important "legacy of these cells," he stated, "One is the basic science, and simply having better access to the human body."

British stem cell expert Professor Lord Winston stated, "One of the problems is that in order to persuade the public that we must do this work, we often go rather too far in promising what we might achieve…I am not entirely convinced that embryonic stem cells will, in my lifetime, and possibly in anybody's lifetime for that matter, be holding quite the promise that we desperately hope they will."

This week JAMA published a study indicating patients with diabetes can be treated with adult stem cells obtained from the patient. This technique was tried in 15 patients and effective in all but one.  This is in addition to 70 other diseases and disabilities that have been successfully treated using adult stem cells.

"Thankfully, President Bush will veto this unethical bill. His position places human life above destructive politics and steers research to methods that actually help patients," said Wendy Wright.

Concerned Women for America is the nation's largest public policy women's organization.