Shawn asks:

> *if* stem cells can do what they are claiming, and I believe we are way
>  early in the process to know that, then I think it's a great
>  thing.  However if the only way to get those stem cells is to destroy
>  embryos, then that's not a good thing as I'm one of those many people that
>  believe life begins at conception.  Now whatever happened to the discussion
>  of using umbilical cords for stem cells?  I seem to recall something about
>  that.

In that regard, how do you feel about dandruff?

It's not quite yet in our technical capability to clone a new individual from
shed skin, and there are deep technical reasons to reject the use of such
cells, but we're getting closer to being able to accomplish such a feat every
year.

But in such a world, the question of importance becomes: what deep moral
force makes an unused blastocyte any different than shed skin other than personal
whims? The proper answer is the probability of success.

Wirt Atmar

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