Wise Young
04-12-2002, 05:19 PM
http://www.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,4100905%255E421,00.html
Church pledges stem cell funds
AAP
09apr02
THE Catholic Church today offered to co-fund research on the use of adult stem cells as part of its ongoing campaign against embryonic stem cell research.
The Archbishop of Sydney George Pell said the church would be prepared to contribute $50,000 if the federal and NSW governments committed "significant money" for adult stem cell research.
He said the Council of Australian Government's decision to permit stem cell research on surplus human embryos, not used in the IVF program, was only encouraging a misdirection of research funding.
"The only significant human advances throughout the world have been made on adult stem cells," Archbishop Pell said.
"Embryonic stem cell research had produced no human cure and I think the more sensible thing, the more productive mind, is to put money into adult stem cell research and that's what I'm asking the commonwealth and NSW governments to do."
Archbishop Pell said the church would give the money even if the government passed legislation allowing embryonic stem cell research.
He said a recent case, where a Welsh boy who had no immunity to infection was "cured" by using his own stem cells, showed the value of alternatives to embryonic stem cell research.
Church pledges stem cell funds
AAP
09apr02
THE Catholic Church today offered to co-fund research on the use of adult stem cells as part of its ongoing campaign against embryonic stem cell research.
The Archbishop of Sydney George Pell said the church would be prepared to contribute $50,000 if the federal and NSW governments committed "significant money" for adult stem cell research.
He said the Council of Australian Government's decision to permit stem cell research on surplus human embryos, not used in the IVF program, was only encouraging a misdirection of research funding.
"The only significant human advances throughout the world have been made on adult stem cells," Archbishop Pell said.
"Embryonic stem cell research had produced no human cure and I think the more sensible thing, the more productive mind, is to put money into adult stem cell research and that's what I'm asking the commonwealth and NSW governments to do."
Archbishop Pell said the church would give the money even if the government passed legislation allowing embryonic stem cell research.
He said a recent case, where a Welsh boy who had no immunity to infection was "cured" by using his own stem cells, showed the value of alternatives to embryonic stem cell research.