Associated Press - October 8, 2007 5:04 PM ET

BOSTON (AP) - A state health panel appointed by Governor Patrick is poised to undo stem cell regulations created under former Governor Mitt Romney.

Scientists have said the restrictions put a chill on their work and undermined a 2005 law intended to encourage the controversial research.

But critics say tougher regulations are needed to bar against the exploitation of women and the creation of human embryos specifically for research.

Kris Mineau, president of the Massachusetts Family Institute, says removing the regulations put in place under Romney would open up a "Pandora's box" of creating human embryos on a wide-scale production.

Patrick has made the cutting edge research a major goal of his administration, proposing a 10-year, $1 billion life sciences initiative designed in part to create the world's largest repository of new stem cells lines.