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Thursday March 8 6:49 PM ET Opponents Sue U.S. to Block Stem Cell Funding WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Opponents of medical research using embryonic stem cells filed suit against U.S. health agencies on Thursday to prevent federal funding of the experiments. The National Institutes of Health (news - web sites) (NIH) announced last year that it would fund studies using stem cells, which scientists believe hold promise for treating a range of diseases. Applications are due March 15. Critics call the practice immoral because it involves taking cells from human embryos. Under Clinton's guidelines, public funding can pay for research but private parties must harvest the cells from frozen embryos left over from in-vitro fertilization. Thomas Hungar, a plaintiffs' attorney, said that position violated a ban on using public money for research in which embryos are knowingly destroyed or discarded. Hungar also said health officials ``ignored or disregarded ... other options for achieving important medical advances.'' The plaintiffs include the Christian Medical Association; Nightlight Christian Adoption, a nonprofit group that says it enables people to adopt human embryos stored at fertility clinics; and private individuals who want to adopt human embryos for implantation. The suit was filed in Washington against the NIH and the Department of Health and Human Services (news - web sites). President Bush (news - web sites) said in January he opposed some stem-cell research but did not say whether he would move to outlaw it. Health and Human Services (news - web sites) Secretary Tommy Thompson said the matter is under legal review. Stem cells are early master cells that scientists believe they can coax to develop into almost any other type of cell, possibly yielding treatments for ailments such as diabetes and spinal cord injuries. http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20010308/sc/cells_dc_1.html ******