Straight Talk About Stem Cell Research

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The MIT Technology Review cuts through the fog to examine the true state of stem cell research. How close are we to cures for age-related conditions and working regenerative medicine based on this research? The scientist interviewed here suggests a decades-long timeline, although others estimate the first therapies are more like ten years away. The adult versus embryonic stem cell debate is also examined: "The public has been misled by the partisan tug of war over the notion that, given more study, adult stem cells could accomplish the same regenerative feats as their embryonic counterparts ... studies of embryonic stem cells yield important information for the understanding of adult stem cells, and vice versa. But overall, embryonic stem cells still appear to hold the advantage."

Link: http://www.technologyreview.com/articles/04/08/wo_asbrand083104.asp