CHANGE

Stem Cell Funding Ban Lifted

President draws a line at human cloning.

President Obama completed a turnaround of Bush administration policy this morning by officially ending a federal ban on funding of stem cell research. "In recent years, when it comes to stem cell research, rather than furthering discovery our government has forced what I believe is a false choice between sound science and moral values," he said, carefully noting that the new rules would not "open the door" for "dangerous, profoundly wrong" human cloning. Obama went out of his way to make clear that under his watch, "We base our public policies on the soundest science" and "appoint scientific advisors based on their credentials and experience, not their politics or ideology." The National Institutes of Health now has 120 days to figure out federal funding guidelines and limitations.