According to the Times Online, British scientists have developed a therapy to cure the most common form of blindness, (macular degeneration, updated per request from comments) using embryonic stem cells.
Under the new treatment, embryonic stem cells are transformed into replicas of the missing cells. They are then placed on an artificial membrane which is inserted in the back of the retina.
Make that "the back of the retina of heathenistic Godless pagans", because I feel 100% certain that no Godfearing right wing types are going to allow these innocent dead baby parts to be injected into their eyeballs!
It is particularly noteworthy that this research was conducted at the same time that American scientists were laboring under the wrong headed restrictions placed upon them by the Bush administration. It could have been American researchers leading the way (and raking in the profits) in the field of embryonic research.
The Times Online also notes:
Embryonic stem cells have the ability to develop into all types of body tissue. Their use is controversial, however, because it involves the destruction of human embryos.
So it's perfectly fine to destroy human embryos by the bucketful in the cause of infertility treatments... but using those same embryos to cure blindness, or what ever other miracle cure is around the corner? Well that is some sort of moral outrage!