[Does 2009 mark a revival of embryonic stem cells?].

The legal possibility of using federal funds to work with embryonic cells and destroy embryos started on March 2009 in the USA. It has nothing to do with regenerative therapies. It is directed to create banks with human cells, banks directed by a few scientists involved in biotechnology enterprises connected with centers of in vitro reproduction. They pursue the use of ad hoc human embryos for biomedical research. The idea of using cell lines derived from embryos is quite spread, and even the idea of obtaining new lines of this type to validate reprogrammed somatic pluripotential cells, the so called iPS cell (induced pluripotent stem), without destroying embryos or using ovules. This type of cells is indeed of great value in medical research and it is opening new possibilities in Cell Therapy. Recent data are analyzed and considerations are advanced encouraging rational alternatives to eliminate embryonic cells in the evaluation of iPS cells.