Children With Type 1 Juvenile Diabetes Look Forward To Obama's Expected Lifting Of Ban On Stem Cell Research

March 9, 2009 9:13 a.m. EST

New York, NY (AHN) - President Barack Obama's expected lifting of the ban on stem cell research Monday is good news for those with Type 1 juvenile diabetes and their parents.

That's because researchers think that embryonic stem cells could be capable of replicating the pancreatic cells that produce insulin. When pancreatic cells are transplanted they effectively cure Type 1 diabetics. But with donor organs in short supply there are not enough donor pancreases to meet demand.

About 1.5 million Americans have Type 1 diabetes, but there are only about 6,000 donor pancreases each year.

Although there is a debate about the ethics of embryonic stem cell research, some proponents argue that it is unethical not to use stem cell research in an attempt to find cures for diseases such as Type 1 juvenile diabetes, Parkinson's disease and others.