Obama administration says disruption of stem cell research would ruin taxpayer-funded projects

Appeals court considers ban on stem cell research

WASHINGTON — The Obama administration has told an appeals court that a judge’s order halting federal funding of stem cell research would result in destruction of valuable biological materials and set back taxpayer-funded work.

A three-judge panel of the Court of Appeals in Washington is considering whether to throw out a lower court judge’s ban on President Barack Obama’s rules for federal funding of human embryonic stem cell research.

The judge had temporarily blocked Obama’s rules because he said it’s likely they violate the law on federal funding of embryo destruction.

The appeals court judges on Monday questioned whether the disruption of the research would irreparably harm the government’s work or just delay it while the case proceeds.