ROME (CNS): Pope Benedict XVI has endorsed stem cell research and therapy utilising stem cells harvested from adults and umbilical cord blood.
He also called for researchers and doctors to work more closely together in applying the latest research to an audience of participants attending a Vatican-sponsored congress on stem cell therapy on September 16.
Scientists, doctors, scholars and bioethicists met in Rome from September 14-16 for an international conference sponsored by the Pontifical Academy for Life and the World Federation of Catholic Medical Associations.
The congress addressed the scientific possibilities and ethical implications in the use of stem cells.
The Pope challenged the “frequent and unjust accusations of callousness” aimed against the Church for its unwavering stance against the use of embryonic stem cells.
The Church has always been dedicated to curing diseases and helping humanity, he said.
