American Medical Association approves stem cell research

Doctors' participation in cloning stem cells for research and treatment—but not for making babies—is consistent with medical ethics and was approved by the American Medical Association's House of Delegates at its annual meeting in Chicago last week.

The new recommendations will be submitted to a medical journal for publication; meanwhile a summary is posted on the news section of the association's website (www.ama-assn.org).

There is no conflict between the recommendations and the Bush administration's opposition to all research involving cloning, said Dr Michael Goldrich, chairman elect of the association's council on ethical and judicial affairs. He said that President Bush's stance related to federal funding for stem cell research, whereas the association's report “gives guidance to …