Why Elections Matter

A major step forward in the controversial practice of stem cell research occurred today as the FDA approved a leading bio tech company, Geron Crop, to conduct experiments on up to 10 patients with spinal cord injuries. The historic decision marks a reversal of ethics-driven policy restricting the study and medical application of embryonic stem cells; critics complain it destroys human life. Its proponents, however, look forward to capitalizing on the untapped potential of stem cells to regenerate vital tissue and organs: "This is the dawn of a new era in medical therapeutics," said the CEO of Geron. He stressed that the medical benefit of the practice "goes beyond what pills and scalpels can ever do."