You may recognize Dr. Russell Foulk. A local infertility specialist, he helps hundreds of local couples having trouble conceiving a child. Many times that treatment will involve mixing egg and sperm and creating embryos outside the body...those embryos are placed back in the woman's uterus which hopefully will develop into a baby.
Those embryos are stored here, and may stay here indefinitely after the couple is finished having children.
"95-percent of the people either throw them away or donate them to science. About half will donate to research. It is that group of patients that would like to donate for improving the human well being and its on a limited basis because of funding."
Five years ago, President Bush set stem cell policy by limiting funding for stem cell research, and allowing only a limited number of stem cell lines to be used. Two Bills currently working their way in Congress may lift some of the restrictions set down by the Bush administration.
Two weeks ago, Dr. Foulk met with Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist in Washington to talk about pushing through the legislation. " And he was very good and thinking through that if these embryos are not going to be used they are going to be thrown away any way so ultimately you are going to be destroying them. So if we are going to destroy them why not gain something that benefits those of us that suffer and os he is very much a proponent of the bill."

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