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As of press time, the American Cancer Society was reconsidering its withdrawal from sponsorship of Patients' Cure, an advocacy group founded to promote the medical benefits of human embryonic stem cell research. The society withdrew its support allegedly following protests from Roman Catholic organizations, which are against such research since embryos are destroyed in the process although the society's stated reason was a disagreement. Nobel laureate Dr. Paul Berg criticized the society's move Aug 27. Arguing that the group had let "politics and ideology [take] precedence over science." The cancer society responded in a Sept. 8 statement asserting that it was developing its own position on stem cell research and must not be manipulated into prematurely favoring any particular point of view."
A week after the ACS' statement, the National Biotech Advisory commission issued an endorsement of stem cell research, providing support for a policy being pursued by the National Institutes of Health. However, federal funds cannot be used for research in which humans embryos are destroyed therefore, NIH researchers must use stem cells derived from privately funded biologists.