Fondos para células madre

Obama to fund stem cell research

President Obama will announce today that President Bush's ban on the funding of embryonic stem cell research is to be overturned. The move has been condemned by conservative groups but welcomed by many American scientists.

Reporter: Justin Webb

 Listen to the story

For eight years American scientists have been banned by law from using taxpayers' money to assist in work on most embryonic stem cell lines. The result, according to many scientists, has been a reduction in the effectiveness of their research.

Embryonic stem cells can morph into any cell in the body, and they might one day assist in curing chronic conditions such as diabetes, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. But their use involves the destruction of embryos, typically those left over from fertility treatment.

America's religious conservatives are deeply upset. One called the Obama announcement, 'a slap in the face to Americans who believe in the dignity of all human life'. The Republican Party is also opposing the move, which is yet another bold step away from the policies and ideology of the Bush years, in which religious faith often trumped scientific advice. That approach, Mister Obama will make clear today, is now history.

Justin Webb, BBC News, Washington

 Listen to the words

banned by law
prohibido por ley

embryonic stem cell lines
células madre creadas usando embriones

morph
convertirse en, transformarse

chronic conditions
enfermedades crónicas

left over
que sobran de (tratamiento de fertilidad)

a slap in the face
un gran insulto, una bofetada

bold step away
un paso audaz

the Bush years
los años que gobernó Bush

trumped
superaron

is now history
se acabó, llegó a su fin

Read more stories