In a heated debate at the Assembly Health Committee public hearing Friday, researchers, scientists and legislators contested the merits of stem cell research.

Two bills proposed in the Assembly regarding stem cell research and human cloning were debated.

A bill sponsored by Sen. Mary Lazich, R-New Berlin, and Rep. Stephen Freese, R-Dodgeville, would make it illegal to conduct any research.

The second bill introduced by Rep. Steve Kestell, R-Elkhart Lake, bans all human cloning, but does not discuss research.

“I think the important thing is to separate stem cell research and cloning; my bill does just that so we discuss them on their own merits,” Kestell said.

UW-Madison researcher James Thomson said although adult stem cell research could help find cures to certain diseases, there are advantages to embryonic research.

“Adult stem cells do not answer questions about the earliest events in human development, they cannot be cultured to sustain and they are mortal and some adult tissues such as heart tissue have shown a lack of effective stem cells,” Thomson said at the Assembly hearing.

Also at the Capitol Friday, Wisconsin Right to Life held a discussion regarding stem cell research and its ethical implications.

David Prentice, professor of life sciences at Indiana State University, held the opposite opinion of Thomson, arguing adult stem cells are just as effective for research as embryonic stem cells.

“Within the last two to three years, all criticism of adult stem cells has been answered,” Prentice said.

Prentice studies stem cells using blood stem cells from adult donors. He said through his research he believes adult bone marrow holds the potential for the ultimate stem cell.

Rev. Kevin Fitzgerald, associate professor of oncology and Doctor Lauer professor for Catholic health care ethics at Georgetown University, said continuing embryonic research is not justified because it is not known if embryonic stem cells have an advantage over adult stem cells.

“Let’s avoid the harms…and at the same time procure the good of research,” Fitzgerald said.