Project Numbers SPB N°14 & 18
Chairs
Professor Gustav Björkstrand, Abo Akademi Univ., Abo, Finland.
Dame Bridget M. Ogilvie, Public Understanding of Science, UK.
Abstract
There are many chronic, serious and disabling human diseases for which no effective therapies currently exist. The scientific study of stem cells has raised new hopes for their treatment by cell replacement. Animal work has already demonstrated what might be achieved with the result that a number of scientists are already investigating the properties of human stem cells. This work is at an early stage, but is creating unease because of the ethical and moral issues involved.
This Science Policy Briefing (1st and 2nd editions) summarises the scientific and ethical issues and sets the position of ESF and its Membership organisations as follows:
1. It is necessary to with research on stem cells derived from embryos, foetal tissues and adults, in parallel.
2. Research is also required to overcome the problem of immunological rejection of cells from donors who are not genetically identical with the recipient.
3. ESF recommends that all work on human stem cells should be properly regulated.
4. All European countries are urged to introduce legislation and regulation to oversee and control the laboratories concerned, the scientists involved and the experiments that can be performed.
5. In their legislative framework for this type of research European countries should take into consideration that when therapies from the study of human stem cells become available they should benefit to patients from all countries.
6. The ESF and its Member Organisations endorse the fact that reproductive cloning* should be forbidden due to the current experimental uncertainty.
7. The ESF suggests that therapeutic cloning* that has potential for therapy of serious and disabling diseases should be supported under strong regulatory control by national bodies.
8. The ESF suggests that study on chimaeric embryos* should be limited to non-human species when it can be ethically justified as in the case of endangered species.
9. The ESF believes that it is particularly important that adequate funds are made available from public bodies to the scientific community outside the commercial sector to make the views of independent scientists available for development of national policies.
10. Scientific advance is so rapid in this area that regulation and legislation will need to be kept under continual review. The ESF will ensure that this paper is updated regularly to reflect scientific and regulatory changes.
A EUROCORES programme on the “Development of a Stem cell Tool Box” (EuroSTELLS) has been launched by ESF.
