U.S. approves first human embryonic stem cell study

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the first human trials of human embryonic stem cell research, authorizing researchers to test whether the cells are safe to use in spinal injury patients, U.S. biotech firm Geron Corp. announced Friday.

The tests could begin by summer, said Dr. Thomas Okarma, president and CEO of the Geron Corp. The trials will use human stem cells authorized for research by then President George W. Bush in 2001. The patients will be those with the most severe spinal cord injuries, called complete spinal cord injuries. Continue Reading »