London, England (LifeNews.com) -- The British medical journal Lancet, an internationally respected publication, is making headlines of its own by labeling as "sensationalist" and "hype" claims from scientists that embryonic stem cell research will soon result in cures for a host of diseases.

According to the pro-life web site, The Fact Is, The Lancet published an editorial in its June 4 edition titled, "Stem cell research: hope and hype."

The Lancet favors embryonic stem cell research but noted in the article that "no safe and effective stem cell therapy will be widely available for at least a decade, and possibly longer."

The British medical journal also published an opinion article from Neil Scolding, a British neurologist and researcher at the University of Bristol, The Fact Is reports. Scolding highlights some of the logistical problems associated with research that involves the destruction of human embryos.

"[A]n increasing appreciation of the hazards of embryonic stem cells has rightly prevented the emergence or immediate prospect of any clinical therapies based on such cells," he wrote. "The natural propensity of embryonic stem cells to form [tumors], their exhibition of chromosomal abnormalities, and abnormalities in cloned mammals all present difficulties."

Scolding echoes the concerns of other scientists and said that the prospect of having to clone hundreds of thousands of human embryos to produce enough stem cells for research "is surely unrealistic."

Kelly Hollowell, Ph.D., a molecular and cellular pharmacologist and a patent attorney, agrees. She says another key problem with embryonic stem cell research is that it requires harvesting so many cells and the process requires women's eggs to create human embryos.

"To treat, for example, the 17 million diabetes patients in the United States will require a minimum of 850 million to 1.7 billion human eggs," Hollowell said. "Collecting 10 eggs per donor will require a minimum of 85 to 170 million women."

"The total cost would be astronomical, at $100,000 to $200,000 for 50 to 100 human eggs per each patient," Dr. Hollowell explained.

The British neurologist Scolding, in his Lancet article, pointed out the ethical concerns associated with embryonic stem cell research and said the scientific community should look to adult stem cells as an alternative.

"Fortunately, for the now highly expectant patient, reports of the death of adult stem cells were greatly exaggerated," he said.