Despite juicy potential, development of stem cell treatments faces significant scientific challenges. Besides the transplant survival crux, scientists have yet to determine how to obtain enough normal stem cells for transplants.

But for the most part, stem cell research has been delayed in the U.S. by political and religious opposition. On Friday, American Roman Catholic bishops issued a document warning against what they consider the moral dangers of embryonic stem cell research — saying it treats human beings as commodities and reduces procreation to a manufacturing process.

With elections looming this fall, the bishops said they are not asking Catholics or the public to choose between science and religion. Instead, they are urging people to examine how society should conduct medical research.

Research advocates say that banning scientific use of embryos would halt promising efforts to find treatments for diseases such as cancer and multiple sclerosis. Human embryonic stem cells are created in the first days after conception and give rise to all organs and specialized tissues in the body.

In July 2006, President George W. Bush used the first veto of his presidency to reject federal funding of embryonic stem cell research. The House later voted 235-193 to overturn Bush’s veto. However, the tally fell 51 short of the required two-thirds majority to send the decision to the Senate. The president previously placed limits on federal support of embryonic stem cell research in August 2001.

Privatized embryonic stem cell research is loaded with hurdles. The most obvious issue is money. Other problems include intellectual property issues and lack of private control of any advancement. In addition, private companies must at some point turn a profit on their efforts. When profits appear doubtful, studies are often dropped, no matter their weight or potential.

Human stem cells used in past Clemson University research include bone marrow, umbilical cord blood and National Institute of Health-approved embryonic stem cells. In a previous interview with the Daily Journal/Messenger, Fox Foundation Vice President of Research Programs Todd Sherer addressed the controversy surrounding stem cells.

“I think there’s a misconception about stem cells; it’s probably related to how they’re generated and the ethics of the scientists using them,” Sherer said. “Scientists, for the most part, develop cures for patients under the oversight of their universities and (state) governments. It’s done in a very careful manner.”

According to Sherer, research has proven embryonic stem cells more effective than their adult counterparts. However in a 2006 interview with the Daily Journal/Messenger, Rep. Gresham Barrett, who voted in support of Bush’s veto, disagreed with that assessment.

“The research that has gained the most results is adult stem cell research,” Barrett said. “Right now, those findings are being used in over 70 areas.”