Court Suspends Ban|on Stem Cell Financing

(CN) – The D.C. Circuit on Thursday ruled that federal funding of embryonic stem cell research could continue while the court considers a judge’s order last month to ban the financing.     The federal appeals court in Washington, D.C., granted a stay to two stem cell scientists and others who challenged U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth’s order.     Lamberth ruled that the research violates a congressional order banning the use of federal money to destroy embryos.     On Tuesday, Lamberth refused to lift his order, saying a stay would “flout the will of Congress.”      He said government officials were “incorrect about much of their ‘parade of horribles’ that will supposedly result from this court’s preliminary injunction.”     The D.C. Circuit’s ruling allows the government to keep funding the stem cell research until the court has fully considered the appeal.