Correcting the record

An Aug. 23 story by The Associated Press about a biotech company finding a new way of making stem cells carried an ambiguous headline that said: “Firm creates stem cells without destroying embryos.” The story accurately reported that the researchers used a new technique that involves using an embryo at a very early stage of development and removing a single cell, which can be coaxed into spawning an embryonic stem cell line. With only one cell removed, the rest of the embryo retains its potential for development, so the new approach makes it possible to create stem cells without destroying embryos. In doing their research, however, the scientists chose to remove many cells, and thus did end up destroying the embryos.