1
Health Law Department, Boston University School of Public Health Boston, Massachusetts 02118, USA
2
Center for Bioethics, University of Pennsylvania Medical Center
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA
3
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Illinois at Chicago Chicago, Illinois 60612, USA
Tremendous controversy has surrounded efforts to undertake research on totipotent human stem cells. To date public policy in the United States has attempted to skirt the ethical and social questions raised by this research. Annas et al. argue that research using human embryos as a source of totipotent stem cells can secure broad public support if there is an open and public discussion about the ethical justification for undertaking such research and the assurance of adequate federal regulation and oversight.
