|
CHICAGO (AP) - Gov. Rod Blagojevich on Tuesday ordered that the state spend $10 million on stem cell research, making Illinois the latest state to allocate money for what has become a contentious ethics debate.
The state's lawmakers had considered related measures several times, but they never approved them as people questioned whether state funds should be used for research in an ethically sensitive area.
Under the governor's order, which does not require legislative approval, the money will be given in grants to medical facilities for research on adult cord blood and embryonic stem cells. It is not to be used for reproductive cloning. The Illinois Department of Public Health will oversee a program to distribute grants this year.
|