A senior adviser to Barack Obama said the President will soon issue an executive order lifting an eight-year ban on embryonic stem cell research imposed by President George Bush. Obama adviser David Axelrod discussed the issue during an interview on Fox News Sunday with Chris Wallace.

Chris Wallace: “When are you going to issue an executive order on stem cell research?”

David Axelrod: “That — we’ll be doing something on that soon, I think.”

Chris Wallace: “An executive order lifting the ban on federal funding.”

David Axelrod: “The President is considering that right now.”

In 2001, President Bush limited federal funding for stem cell research only to human embryonic stem cell lines that already existed. Scientists believe embryonic stem cell research could eventually produce cures for a variety of diseases, including Parkinson’s disease, diabetes, heart disease and spinal cord injuries.