Whether you are for or against the study and use of human embryonic cells in medical treatment, the FDA has agreed to let it happen. The current treatment that is being studied is one that will potentially allow doctors to repair motor functions in patients who have been paralyzed by spinal cord injuries.

Neurological surgeon, Richard Fessler hopes that the use of cells extracted from 3-5 day old embryos, will be able to eventually restore the use of bodily movement in patients with spinal injuries. There has been a lot of debate over whether or not these studies should be permitted because of ethical issues. Other issues have arisen as well. The same studies done on animal tissue have caused small cysts to form on the newly formed tissue. Doctors don’t believe this will be a problem in humans though.

The studies done on rats, have allow these paralyzed rats to walk again. If all goes right, one day we may be able to do the same for humans.