A federal appeals court today threw out a lawsuit against federal funding of ES cell research. The lawsuit reportedly was filed on behalf of all cryopreserved embryos in the U.S. and the ruling was issued by the US Court of the Appeals of the 4th Circuit.
While this decision does not directly have anything to do with a similar, more high profile case filed by self-proclaimed “adult” stem cell researchers including James Sherley, the 4th Circuit Appeals Court ruling that the embryos do not have standing could have an influence on the DC Circuit Court of Appeals’ ultimate decision in the Sherley case and I think it might tend to bolster chances that appeals court will rule against Sherley.
Meanwhile, there has been no recent news on the Sherley case for weeks, but presumably wheels are turning behind the scenes and decision could come any time or not for a long time.