Dolly Cloning Professor Abandons Embryonic Stem Cell Research

I strongly disagree with the government financing of embryonic stem cells. This does not mean that I'm against stem cell research as many on the left would say, clearly ignorant of my support for adult stem cell research, ignorant of the woeful success record of using embryonic cells, or too beholden to the abortion industry to take a stance that might cross the directorship of Planned Parenthood.

Now, we have another begrudging convert to alternative stem cells, and this is no waif in the stem cell industry but the very guy who cloned Dolly the sheep and, in case no one has noticed, has been cloning humans for the sole purpose of stem cell harvest for years. Now, this guy is no hero in my book. I find him, like most intellectuals, morally barren because he takes all his directives only from himself.

From the BBC:

The scientist who led the team that controversially created Dolly the sheep is abandoning the cloning of human embryos in stem cell research.

Professor Ian Wilmut, of Edinburgh University, believes a rival method developed in Japan holds the key to curing serious medical conditions.

The new method creates stem cells from fragments of skin and could remove the need to use human embryos.

Pro-life groups opposed to the use of embryonic cells have welcomed the move.

But Prof Wilmut said: "We've not made this decision because it's ethically better.

"To me it's always been ethically acceptable to think that if you could use cells from a human embryo to develop a treatment for a disease like motor neurone disease, for which there is no treatment at present, then that is an acceptable thing to do."

He is basically admitting what opponents of embryonic stem cells have been saying for years, that adult stem cells hold much more promise than embryonic stem cells--the primary reason why private funding for embryonic stem cell research has all but dried up over the past few years.

Professor Wilmut doesn't see anything wrong with embryonic stem cells--he just thinks there is a better way.

One can only hope the American left will figure it out too.