Liberals welcome victory on EU stem cell research
June 16, 2006 10:00 AM
Andrew DUFF, Liberal Democrat MEP for the East of England, has welcomed the decision of the European Parliament (15 June) to continue to fund research on embryonic as well as adult human stem cells.
After a tight vote in Strasbourg yesterday on the EU's Seventh R&D Framework Programme, Andrew DUFF said:
"Scientific and medical researchers in the East of England will benefit substantially from the design of the new R&D programme. Particularly welcome is the Parliament's strong support for the creation of a European Research Council which will distribute research funds on an objective basis to support the best science around.
"Many MEPs wished to stop all research projects that use embryonic stem cells from being able to tap into EU funding. Fortunately this campaign was beaten off, to the lasting benefit of medical science.
"Member states that wish to suppress this vital research can do so. But centres of excellence such as Cambridge will be able to continue to receive EU sponsorship.
"In the compromise reached by Parliament, R&D will have to be properly licensed and in conformity with the strong ethical safeguards that are already in place."
ENDS/
Note to editors
Embryonic stem cells are derived from embryos left over from in-vitro fertilisation rather than newly created by therapeutic cloning. There is an absolute ban on funding any research on human reproductive cloning.
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