Opponents say some areas of stem cell work are wrong An appeals court in the United States has suspended a ban imposed last month on federally-funded research involving embryonic stem cells.
The court in Washington placed a temporary stay on an earlier decision by US District Judge Royce Lamberth.
Judge Lamberth ruled that the research violated US law because it involved destroying human embryos.
President Obama lifted a ban on federal funding for stem cell research in March.
Critics say the ban, which was kept in place by Mr Obama’s predecessor, George W Bush, impeded the fight to find treatments for diseases like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and diabetes.
The legal action, which was also backed by Christian groups including the Alliance Defense Fund, is against the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
But Judge Lamberth’s decision prompted a temporary injunction blocking plans by the Obama administration to increase funding for human embryonic stem cell research.
The appeals court said the purpose of its administrative stay was to give the judges opportunity to consider the merits of a Justice Department motion seeking to suspend Judge Lamberth’s ruling.
Thursday’s move “should not be construed in any way as a ruling on the merits” of the motion, the appeals judges said.
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