mrz
19-11-03, 19:13
Europe backs embryonic stem cell research
18:30 19 November 03
NewScientist.com news service
The European Parliament has backed the public funding of research on stem cells extracted from human embryos. The proposal would also allow medical research on human cells cloned using the same technique by which Dolly the cloned sheep was created.
The issue has caused controversy wherever it has been considered in the world. Supporters of the research say it holds unrivalled promise of new medical treatments for diseases such as Parkinson's and diabetes. Opponents say the destruction of human embryos involved is ethically unacceptable.
The vote on Wednesday was "highly charged and emotional", according the official communiqué from the parliament. Members decided by 300 votes to 210 to permit some public funding of work using embryonic stem cells.
The result delighted scientists and the biotech industry, who say that it will enable European researchers to vie with the US as the leaders in stem cell research. In the US, publicly funded researchers can access 12 existing sources of embryonic stem cells, but are not allowed to create any new sources.
Public justification
Research in Europe could only take place in countries which legalise it themselves - Britain and Sweden already have - and would depend on the aims of the research. Investigators would also have to justify in public any research on embryonic stem cells, stating why no other course of research could achieve the same result.
"We are more than reasonably pleased," said Hugo Schepens, secretary general of EuropaBio, representing Europe's biotechnology companies.
He said that it upholds the principle that conservative countries within the European Union should not hold back other nations that want to press ahead. "Several European states are very determined to take the lead and we should give them every support," he said.
Public agencies that fund stem cell research in the US are taking stock of the vote. "I think we'll have to see how things emerge over time," said James Batty, chairman of the stem cell task force at the US National Institutes of Health. He said that at the moment, publicly funded researchers in the US have adequate leeway to conduct research on embryonic stem cells.
Transatlantic partnership
But Batty dismissed the idea that Europe might now leap ahead, and stressed instead the need for transatlantic partnership in research. "The more support there is for stem cell research internationally, the quicker our understanding of what these cells do will advance," he said.
However, the European parliament's proposals could yet be defeated. Countries opposed to any research on cells extracted from human embryos could fight a rearguard action when the EU's research ministers meet to give final and definitive approval for the proposals.
Opponents including Ireland, Germany, Austria and Portugal might solicit enough support from undecided nations to block a vote by the research ministers, which would then see the whole proposal aborted.
Andy Coghlan
Aiaiaiaiai wat een sukkels. *BLOCK*
Portugal tegen? :zegniets: :slaap:
Slap europa gedoe. :rolleyes:
Daar zakt je broek toch vanaf? Gutohgut? :P
18:30 19 November 03
NewScientist.com news service
The European Parliament has backed the public funding of research on stem cells extracted from human embryos. The proposal would also allow medical research on human cells cloned using the same technique by which Dolly the cloned sheep was created.
The issue has caused controversy wherever it has been considered in the world. Supporters of the research say it holds unrivalled promise of new medical treatments for diseases such as Parkinson's and diabetes. Opponents say the destruction of human embryos involved is ethically unacceptable.
The vote on Wednesday was "highly charged and emotional", according the official communiqué from the parliament. Members decided by 300 votes to 210 to permit some public funding of work using embryonic stem cells.
The result delighted scientists and the biotech industry, who say that it will enable European researchers to vie with the US as the leaders in stem cell research. In the US, publicly funded researchers can access 12 existing sources of embryonic stem cells, but are not allowed to create any new sources.
Public justification
Research in Europe could only take place in countries which legalise it themselves - Britain and Sweden already have - and would depend on the aims of the research. Investigators would also have to justify in public any research on embryonic stem cells, stating why no other course of research could achieve the same result.
"We are more than reasonably pleased," said Hugo Schepens, secretary general of EuropaBio, representing Europe's biotechnology companies.
He said that it upholds the principle that conservative countries within the European Union should not hold back other nations that want to press ahead. "Several European states are very determined to take the lead and we should give them every support," he said.
Public agencies that fund stem cell research in the US are taking stock of the vote. "I think we'll have to see how things emerge over time," said James Batty, chairman of the stem cell task force at the US National Institutes of Health. He said that at the moment, publicly funded researchers in the US have adequate leeway to conduct research on embryonic stem cells.
Transatlantic partnership
But Batty dismissed the idea that Europe might now leap ahead, and stressed instead the need for transatlantic partnership in research. "The more support there is for stem cell research internationally, the quicker our understanding of what these cells do will advance," he said.
However, the European parliament's proposals could yet be defeated. Countries opposed to any research on cells extracted from human embryos could fight a rearguard action when the EU's research ministers meet to give final and definitive approval for the proposals.
Opponents including Ireland, Germany, Austria and Portugal might solicit enough support from undecided nations to block a vote by the research ministers, which would then see the whole proposal aborted.
Andy Coghlan
Aiaiaiaiai wat een sukkels. *BLOCK*
Portugal tegen? :zegniets: :slaap:
Slap europa gedoe. :rolleyes:
Daar zakt je broek toch vanaf? Gutohgut? :P