Debate resuming over stem cell research

WASHINGTON, Nov. 17 (UPI) -- The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops is expressing concern that the next president will lift the ban on government funding of stem cell research.

A spokesman for the conference says if President-elect Barack Obama reverses the Bush administration policy, it will alienate millions of Americans, USA Today reported Monday.

"We are very concerned about it as a moral issue," said Richard Doerflinger, associate director of pro-life activities for the conference. "The question is, does the Bush policy get replaced with the law of the jungle?"

With two months to go before the Obama administration takes over, a national debate on the issue is already taking shape, USA Today said.

Scientists like University of Iowa researcher Nicholas Zavazava say current policy has depressed the field of research and caused an exodus of scientists from the United States.

"We are a big country," he said. "We ought to be able to roll things back."