Charles Krauthammer: Bush Vindicated On Stem Cell Research

In today's Washington Post, in reference to the recent stem cell advance:

A decade ago, Thomson was the first to isolate human embryonic stem cells. Last week, he (and Japan's Shinya Yamanaka) announced one of the great scientific breakthroughs since the discovery of DNA: an embryo-free way to produce genetically matched stem cells.

Even a scientist who cares not a whit about the morality of embryo destruction will adopt this technique because it is so simple and powerful. The embryonic stem cell debate is over.

Which allows a bit of reflection on the storm that has raged ever since the August 2001 announcement of President Bush's stem cell policy. The verdict is clear: Rarely has a president -- so vilified for a moral stance -- been so thoroughly vindicated.

I also found this from Ryan T. Anderson for the Weekly Standard: The End of the Stem-Cell Wars.

I think both are premature - a laboratory breakthrough does not a changed industry make. If these new methods pan out - and I say "if" because we don't know how much testing is yet to be done before others can safely and confidently adopt it - it will take time before all the research labs change gears to the new methods. Until then, they'll all want to continue research as they are currently. From Drs Thompson and Yamanaka, the scientists who made the discovery in question:

He and Dr. Yamanaka caution, though, that they still must confirm that the reprogrammed human skin cells really are the same as stem cells they get from embryos. And while those studies are under way, Dr. Thomson and others say, it would be premature to abandon research with stem cells taken from human embryos.

In light of the fact that the researchers who achieved the breakthrough have yet to confirm that this is the holy grail that many seek, I urge caution. While this announcement may be a cause for hope, this is not yet the time for celebration.