Liveblogging: Hatch Asks How Already-Dead Embyros Could Possibly Be Useful

The stem cell debate opened up with Senator Hatch making a few statements on embryonic stem cells. Among them, he asked whether people would want to use stem cells derived from naturally dead embryos, one of the alternatives endorsed by the Isakson-Coleman bill. Senator Isakson said 5 of the 21 currently funded embryonic stem cell lines were derived from naturally dead embryos -- then again, their usefulness has been in question.

This bill (Isakson-Coleman) is not about a theory when it comes to naturally dead embryos. 5 of the existing 21 lines funded by NIH, grandfathered under the President's directive in August 2001, were derived -- and are active today -- from naturally dead embryos. So we're not talking about a theory.