The Genetics Policy Institute (GPI) salutes the researchers of Stemagen, Inc. on their accomplishment of cloning human embryos towards a goal of creating patient-specific embryonic stem cells for human therapeutic use.

“This is a good day for stem cell research. SCNT (therapeutic cloning) is potentially an important first step towards finding cures and may lead to an array of promising discoveries,” said Bernard Siegel, executive director of GPI. “One day we may have patient-matched embryonic stem cells lines which will enable researchers to investigate the root cause of diseases, test drugs using cells in lab dishes rather than in human subjects and formulate individual cell therapies for patients.”

“Opponents of stem cell research foes often try to blur the distinction between unethical human reproductive cloning and SCNT, which is a form of stem cell research. Where there is so much suffering, it is imperative that scientists have all reasonable tools to seek lifesaving treatments and cures and that includes SCNT,” said Siegel.