Ready for stem cell research

The world's first stem cell bank, with two lines of human embryonic cells, opened amid controversy last week in Great Britain. The cells, which have a unique ability to transform into any kind of tissue in the body, may give scientists hope in curing or reversing illnesses and afflictions such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases, as well as diabetes and strokes. \nWe hear the moral concerns and fears from groups opposed; to be sure, there are morally tricky components if the research goes unchecked, but the potential help from this research seems the loudest to us. Embryos are being created in fertility clinics around the world in much larger numbers than needed. Those embryos would otherwise be discarded. We support their use in the research, but we are additionally hesitant about any embryonic creation solely for research.\nSome fear stem cell research could cause a slippery slope into genetic engineering or modification and human cloning. We do not take those fears lightly, but we also realize we cannot turn our backs on this opportunity. We earnestly insist that scientific attention be focused exclusively on the potentially revolutionary research with stem cells that could help untold millions, and at this time request nothing further.