QUEENSLAND Nationals Senator Barnaby Joyce says today’s news of a stem cell breakthrough providing hope to insulin-dependent diabetes sufferers is further proof of the superiority of adult stem cells over life-destroying embryo stem cell research.

“There is no need to cross the human cloning threshold and create human life to destroy it for research.

“All of the stem cell breakthroughs for diabetes and other diseases have come from ethical adult stem cells. None have come from destroying human embryos or from cloning,” Senator Joyce said.

“Embryo stem cell research offers disease sufferers nothing but vain hope while financial investment in adult stem cells is producing results now.”

Senator Joyce said he was pleased to support Nationals Senate Leader Ron Boswell’s initiative last year to secure $22 million for the world-leading adult stem cell centre led by former Queenslander of the Year, Professor Alan Mackay-Sim at Griffith University.

“The more money spent on embryonic stem cell research the more we are forfeiting the results produced through adult stem cell research,” Senator Joyce said.

“The opportunity cost for stem cell research on human embryos – a technology not even proven in animal models – is cures from adult stem cell research.

“If politicians want to alleviate suffering, concentrate investment on where the results are now.

“Adult stem cells have no issues with rejection or tumours when implanted in to a disease sufferer and there is no need for immunosuppressant drugs.”

Senator Joyce’s comments come as the Queensland Parliament prepares to vote on lifting the ban on cloning human embryos.

Senator Joyce hoped Queensland Parliamentarians would take note of the opposition to cloning from Labor Leader Kevin Rudd, Labor Environment Spokesman Peter Garrett, Prime Minister John Howard, Deputy Prime Minister Mark Vaile, Treasurer Peter Costello and former Deputy Prime Minister John Anderson.

Senator Joyce noted that last year’s Federal cloning bill passed the Senate by just one vote.