The furor over the Korean stem cell research project continues with the scientific community protesting and refusing to collaborate with the South Koreans based on the information that the Koreans used eggs donated by female researchers in their lab. Mr. Hwang Woo Suk officially apologized on Thursday for the ethical breach and said he was stepping out of his official functions , but will continue his research. A longer article on the subject can be found in the Washington Post. Ethics is very much a matter of culture, and in the case of stem cell research, it is a bit worrying that such advances can be made in countries that have a less developped sense of ethics. For the time being, the scientific community at large still carries enough weight so that their collective disapproval means enough for countries to take note. In an effort to save their reputation, the South Korean government has announced the creation of a new state-run ova bank, which will have firm, closely monitored guidelines. This is indeed a first, and a real step in the right direction.
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