[agere_contra]

We don't use the word "embryonic" to refer to cord stem cells.

"Embryonic" stem cells are plenipotent cells from a very early stage of division. You must kill a baby to get them. Cord stem cells are multipotent cells from the umbilical cord - they are like adult stem cells, but they are easy to get at.

[airborne]

We don't use the word "embryonic" to refer to cord stem cells.

I know. ;^)

[airborne]

The point is that the treatment is using umbilical cord stem cells. Embryonic cells have never shown 1/10th the promise.

[mvpel]

If I weren't so familiar with the technical illiteracy of journalists from years of sending in corrections to firearms reporting, I might suspect a conspiracy to blur the distinction between the various types of stem cells by the embryo-dismembering lobby.

[neverdem]

The researchers say they harvested embryonic stem cells from blood taken from umbilical cords and injected them into the spine of a 37-year-old woman named Hwang Mi-soon. Ms. Hwang, who has been chair-bound for nearly two decades, took several steps using a walker at a press conference and declared her progress a “miracle.” And a miracle it is: Cord blood stem cells were injected directly into her injured spinal cord on October 12; a month a half later, she is able to perambulate somewhat.

The Koreans may indeed have made such a claim. It could just be a translating error. The article's author used acceptable terminology later in the paragraph.