Hawking defends stem cell research

In a statement to the daily, Stephen Hawking, a famed scientist who suffers from motor neurone disease, has defended stem-cell research against "reactionary" forces in Europe and the US. His comment came before the EU agreed on Monday, July 24 to continue funding research - under strict conditions - on cells taken from human embryos. "Europe should not follow the reactionary lead of President Bush, who recently vetoed a bill passed by Congress and supported by a majority of the American people that would have allowed federal funding for stem cell research. Stem cell research is the key to developing cures for degenerative conditions like Parkinson's and motor neurone disease from which I and many others suffer. ... The fact that the cells may come from embryos is not an objection because the embryos are going to die anyway. It is morally equivalent to taking a heart transplant from a victim of a car accident."

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