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Hi Joan and Stan, I guess they think calling it a stem cell bank instead of a cord blood bank makes it a pioneer? Cord blood banks are not unique... Milano Cord Blood Bank http://polic.cilea.it/ctit/milancord/cord.htm If you call up Google http://www.google.com and type "cord blood bank" in the search box you will see what I mean.... Now it may be cutting edge for the Catholic Church.... I dunno.... You're right... it is interesting... Best regards ..... murray On 21 Nov 2000, at 3:39, Joan and Stan Snyder wrote: > STEM-CELLS BANK TO BE A PIONEER IN EUROPE > University Plan Harmonizes Ethics and New Biogenetic > Techniques > > ROME, NOV. 20, 2000 (ZENIT.org).- Beginning Jan. 1, the > Catholic University of Rome will provide a stem-cells bank > which will be used to regenerate human organs and tissues. > > The plan provides for the extraction of stem cells from the > blood of umbilical cords. The program would avoid the grave > ethical problems posed by the use of cloned human embryos as > spare parts. > > The blood of the placenta, which has stem cells, will be sent > to the bank for storage. These cells offer extraordinary > possibilities for persons whose umbilical cords have been > used, as well as for people of compatible blood groups. Stem > cells are the progenitors of the elements of blood, and, > when developed, can become muscular tissue, cartilage and > blood vessels. > > News of the stem-cells bank was announced Saturday by > Salvatore Mancuso, director of the University's Institute of > Gynecology, during the congress on "New Frontiers for > Bioethics: Biotechnologies," organized for the 50th > anniversary of the scientific journal Medicina e Morale ( see > http://www.centrobioetica.org ). > > Mancuso said that the university hopes to demonstrate that it > is possible to make progress in research without having to > resort to cloning or to the indiscriminate use of embryos > created solely for this purpose. The bank will be the first of > its kind in Italy and a pioneer in Europe. > > Archbishop Elio Sgreccia, vice president of the Pontifical > Academy for Life and director of the Bioethics Institute of > the Catholic University of Rome, told the Italian newspaper Il > Giornale in its Sunday edition that "the techniques to use > stem cells extracted from the umbilical cord represent > genuine scientific progress." > > "Above all, because they offer a kind of preventive therapy > and constitute a precious reserve to combat some sicknesses > that could arise in the future," the archbishop said, > "however, above all because these techniques offer greater > possibilities for success as opposed to those based on the > extraction of stem cells from embryos." > > According to Archbishop Sgreccia, "the scientific hypotheses, > on which the measures promoted by the English and U.S. > governments are based, lack the necessary foundation, both > from the ethical as well as the experimental point of view. > Research rewards the use of stem cells extracted from the > umbilical cord and proves that it is not necessary to > sacrifice embryos." > > The archbishop concluded by explaining that "the use of > embryos is ethically unacceptable not only for those who are > Catholic." > > "It is not necessary to be a believer to recognize, above all, > that the embryo is a human being," he added. "It cannot be > tolerated that human beings be 'produced' to be used as simple > deposits of cells. This is prohibited by international codes." > > -- > Joan E. Blessington Snyder 49/10 > [log in to unmask] > http://www.geocities.com/joanbsnyder/ > http://ww.newcountry.nu/pd/members/snyder/page1.htm > "Hang tough............no way through it but to do it." > Chris-in-the-Morning (Northern Exposure) [log in to unmask]