It seems that Obama has opened the way for Stem Cell research to take off in the US by lifting restrictions on federal funding. Read here.
Despite Gordo’s claim that the UK is going to invest in Science I see no movement on that front at all. I suspect he means ‘research’ on his pet projects such as smoking, drinking, drugs and global warming not real research. So despite the UK being the world leaders in Stem Cell research at the moment I think it will only now be given the research funding it deserves. The UK just doesn’t have the resources for it. Our brilliant young scientists are few and far between because of our laughable schooling methods and we just can’t afford the research.
At least the brilliant UK scientists are given the right kind of respect in the US so I’m sure that the work done here will not be wasted as yet another brain drain gears up.
Stem Cells are topical and seem to be the answer to many questions. Read here some of the benefits expected through Stem Cell research. Although, like many advances they also have a negative side that needs to be looked at. I would imagine that everyone would be looking at storing the placenta and cord from all births soon. At least that way it gets around many of the ethics issues as well.
Where would the money come from anyway? Who stands to benefit in financial terms?
They would be treated no different from paracetamol etc. Got Parkinsons. Go to the Doc and get him to give you a shot. He bills you as normal and pays his suppliers.
The return on the investment is built in the same way as medicines. Although we should really look at fixed returns per shot or something else. The current way seems strange to me.