Contact:  Jerry Horn, 540-220-0095

ATLANTA, November 24 /Christian Newswire/ -- Dr. Alveda King, Pastoral Associate of Priests for Life and niece of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., said today that reports on the successful transplant of a windpipe grown from a patient's own stem cells demonstrate the need for public and, perhaps, media education on stem cell research.

"It's striking to me that almost every time I read about a new medical breakthrough using stem cells, I have to search well into the story before there's mention that the stem cells were derived from adult humans or umbilical cords, not embryos," said Dr. King.  "Based on the news coverage of stem cell research I've read, it's no surprise that the public, including some news reporters, are confused about stem cell experimentation."

"Stem cell research using cells taken from adults or umbilical cords has resulted in over 70 successful medical treatments, the latest being an organ transplant," added Dr. King.  "Years of stem cell research using techniques that kill embryonic humans have led to nothing but dead ends because of tissue rejection and tumor growth.  Absolutely all of the medical breakthroughs in stem cell research have come from using cells derived from sources other than human embryos.  How many people know this?  Further, how many people know that the pro-life movement has always endorsed this type of non-deadly stem cell research?"

"I respectfully call on the news media to accurately and truthfully distinguish between adult/umbilical stem cell research and embryonic stem cell experiments," concluded Dr. King.  "I also hope that the media will make clear that the pro-life movement enthusiastically supports stem cell research that does no harm to anyone, research that continues to blaze a path of new cures and treatments almost daily."

Priests for Life is the nation's largest Catholic pro-life organization dedicated to ending abortion and euthanasia. For more information, visit www.priestsforlife.org.