The experts agreed that reproductive human cloning - inserting adult DNA into an egg to produce a copy of that adult - is not possible now, and probably never will be because of genetic complexities. Cloning has not worked with monkeys, which are genetically close to humans, while a host of deadly genetic and immune problems have turned up in cloned animals such as Dolly the sheep. Cloning a human is "scientifically... simply not feasible,"

Kenneth S. Zaret Leader of the cell and developmental biology program Fox Chase Cancer Center. Philadelphia Inquirer 11/01/04

"As people of faith we are called to be partners with God in healing and in the alleviation of human pain and suffering. With careful regulation, we affirm the use of stem cell tissue for research that may result in the restoring of health to those suffering from serious illness."

Presbyterian Church, USA

A resolution presented by the New Genetics Task Force of the Episcopal Church's Executive Council. In its explanation of the resolution, the task force identified cloning as one of the new highly sophisticated technologies as "a gift from God to be used for the benefit of healing." Cloning "should not be used to fashion children according their parents' unique personal ambitions."

Episcopal Church Resolution October 2003

"I believe that human life begins in the womb, not a petri dish or refrigerator,"... "To me, the morality of the situation dictates that embryos, which are routinely discarded, be used to improve and extend life. The tragedy would be in not using these embryos to save lives."

Senator Orrin Hatch 2001

“Penicillin sat on my shelf for 12 years while I was called a quack. I can only think of the thousands who died needlessly because my peers would not use my discovery.”

Dr. Alexander Fleming (discovered penicillin)

“Stem cell therapies have the potential to do for chronic diseases what antibiotics did for infectious diseases. It is going to take years of serious research to get there, but as a neurologist, I believe the prospect of a ‘penicillin’ for Parkinson's is a potential breakthrough that we must pursue. As in other areas of creative endeavor in science, the answers will come only with careful experimentation.”

Joseph Martin Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at Harvard University

“The debate regarding whether adult stem cells or embryonic stem cells are ‘better’ is a creation of politics and the press, not of the scientific community. I know of no credible stem cell scientist that does not believe that both should be studies; human medicine will suffer if either is excluded.”

If politics were not involved, “the field of embryonic stem cell research would be much more advanced than it is today.” “It is difficult to estimate just how damaging the current restrictions have been to the field to date, but if the current restrictions are not eventually lifted, patients will suffer needlessly.”

James Thomsom of the University of Wisconsin in Madison USA Today

“As scientists wait for the public and policy-makers to sort out the controversies and ethical dilemmas surrounding human embryonic stem cell research, the United States could - for the first time in modern history - lose its leadership role in biomedical research,”

Neal Lane Professor at Rice University and Senior Fellow in Science and Technology at James Baker III Institute for Public Policy

The most impressive and often-cited example is a set of adult stem cell experiments conducted in Minnesota that are surrounded by questions because, two years later, other scientists have not been able to replicate the work. The scientist who did that work, Dr. Catherine Verfaillie of the University of Minnesota, said she has not found a replacement for embryonic stem cells and is frustrated with the increasing politicization of the issue.

“My research is being misused depending on the point someone wants to get across. They have put words in my mouth.”

Catherine Verfaillie, University of Minnesota Boston Globe November 11,2004

“It's the federal research that is the big opportunity, that’s where the big dollars are. And to have these avenues to federal resources closed is going to hurt us in the long run.”

Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison Houston Chronicle August 22, 2004

“There is a feeling we have got to do something rapidly or we are going to be really out of the ball game, ...”

Professor John D. Gearhart - John Hopkins Medical School At a public address at the University of Wyoming September 29, 2004

Q. What do you and your academic friends make of the debate over embryonic-stem-cell research in this country?

A. In Britain, like most of the developed world, stem-cell research is regarded as a great opportunity. America will be left behind if it doesn't change policy.

Stephen Hawking New York Times February 1, 2004

“If the potential of stem cell research is realized, it would mean an end to the suffering of millions of people – a rescue, a cure... Stem cells could lead to breakthroughs in developing treatments and cures for almost any terminal or catastrophic disease you can think of. This is one of the reasons that support for this work has galvanized a coalition of advocates from just about every patient community in the nation. If stem cell research succeeds, there isn’t a person in the country who won’t benefit, or know somebody who will.”

Michael J. Fox Excerpt from his book, Lucky Man (2002)

“Stem cell research offers great promise. It could be used to develop dramatic new procedures and techniques to reverse degenerative heart disease. For example, it may help generate new, healthy heart tissue, valves and other vital tissues and structures. About 128 million people suffer from diseases that might be cured or treated through stem cell research. About 58 million of these people suffer from cardiovascular disease. Our association is committed to supporting medical and scientific research.”

American Heart Association Policy in support of stem cell research “I support stem cell research. I think it is very, very important that the whole nation pulls together on a federal and a state level.”

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger ABC News interview June 10, 2004

“Stem cells may not be an instant 'cure' for Alzheimer's or Parkinson's or diabetes. But as Nancy Reagan said, ‘I just don't see how we can turn our backs on this... We have lost so much time already and I just really can't bear to lose anymore.’ This is the final one to win for the Gipper. And his widow.”

Ellen Goodman Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Boston Globe, June 8, 2004

“The concern of many opponents of the research has been that stem cells derived from human embryos would potentially destroy life. The fact is that the only human embryos that are used as a basis for stem-cell research are those that would otherwise be discarded from in vitro fertilization clinics. This is not a matter of using a human embryo that has the potential to produce life. Rather, these otherwise discarded embryos have the potential to save lives.”

Republican Senator Arlen Specter OpEd in The Forward May 21, 2004

“Science has presented us with a hope called stem-cell research, which may provide our scientists with answers that have so long been beyond our grasp. I just don't see how we can turn our backs on this - there are just so many diseases that can be cured, or at least helped. We have lost so much time already, and I just really can't bear to lose any more.”

Nancy Reagan Remarks at California benefit supporting stem cell research May 8, 2004

“Stem cells have the potential to be used to treat and better understand deadly and disabling diseases that affect more than 100 million Americans, such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury, and many others.”

Letter to President Bush, signed by principal authors Rep. Cal Dooley (D-California) and Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham (R-California) along with over 200 members of Congress April 28, 2004

“[Stem cell research] is the most promising research in healthcare perhaps in this history of the world and we should not be left behind in this research.”

Senator Orin Hatch, (R-Utah NPR's Morning Edition February 13, 2004

“State leaders should work with Gov. Rick Perry and the Legislature to develop a stem-cell research policy that keeps Texas from being ‘left in the dust’ by California. I think that Texas needs to have a responsible, ethical policy regarding stem-cell research. I think if we are going to stay in the forefront of scientific discoveries, we are going to have to find an ethical way to keep the state-of-the-art experiments on stem cells and how they can displace unhealthy cells in people's bodies.”

Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison

“Nearly 400,000 embryos derived from in vitro fertilization are currently frozen and destined to be destroyed. I believe these embryos are an ideal reserve, if donated with informed consent by both of the parents, to replenish the lines that have been lost, without crossing the moral line of unethically harvesting and destroying human embryos. As I see it, it is analogous to discarding the healthy heart of a deceased organ donor.”

U. S. Congressman John Culberson May 17, 2004

"This is the first derivation of retinal cells from human embryonic stem cells. We believe these new retinal cells could be used to treat blindness and may, in fact, be the one of the very first applications of embryonic stem-cell technology. In fact, we would not have made this discovery if our research had been limited to the stem-cell lines approved by President Bush. The question is how many other important scientific or medical breakthroughs have not occurred because of the current stem-cell policy. This is what we've been trying to tell the president for years."

Dr. Robert Lanza, Advanced Cell Technology's scientific director

"This was a complete surprise and a considerable disappointment." We set out to confirm, using more stringent criteria, the very appealing strategy of using stem cells from bone marrow to regenerate cardiac muscle, but we found that they never become normal, mature muscle cells."

Dr. Elizabeth McNally University of Chicago researcher and cardiologist.

The study was published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation.

Dr. Steven L. Teitelbaum, a professor at Washington University School of Medicine, gave a lecture entitled "Stem Cell & Nuclear Transplantation: Promise and Politics" stating his role was "not as an advocate, but as an educator" and explained the public was being "inundated with misinformation ... and outrageous non-facts" about embryonic stem cell research.