In the news

Several newspapers recently ran stories with headlines such as "Royal Society condemns human cloning". The report these stories refer to, with the low-key title "Stem cell research - second update", is in fact not focused on reproductive cloning at all. The report does indeed recommend that, on ethical and safety grounds, reproductive cloning should not be allowed, but its main thrust is a discussion of recent advances in stem cell research. There have, for example, been several papers published recently that appeared to show much greater potential for adult stem cells than had previously been thought to be the case, and this work has been cited by those who oppose the use of embryo-derived stem cells. The Royal Society report makes an extremely useful contribution in discussing clearly the claims that have been made for adult stem cells, and explaining their current limitations on both scientific and practical grounds. The report recommends that both adult and embryonic stem cell research should be pursued. In reaching this conclusion, the Royal Society is in tune with recommendations that emerged from a recent US National Academy of Sciences workshop, arguing against placing too much reliance on the potential of adult stem cells and urging legislators to allow stem cell research (see report in Nature 411, page 979).

The Royal Society report, which has been submitted as evidence to the parliamentary committee enquiring into stem cell research and "therapeutic cloning", also deals with questions concerning the effects of globalisation, e-commerce and patenting on the stem cell debate, and the difficulties that would surround any attempt to reach consensus at an international level. These difficulties are highlighted by the deep divisions elsewhere in Europe. The French government proposes allowing research on stem cells derived from "spare" IVF embryos, but has decided not to proceed with proposals to allow therapeutic cloning (see news report in Lancet, 30 June). In Germany, political pressure has forced the main research funding agency to delay further a decision on funding a research project on human embryonic stem cells (see report in Nature, 21 June). For further information on stem cell policy development in the UK and elsewhere, see the stem cells page in the information database.   2/7/01

Note added 3/7/01: The European Science Foundation, a body representing 67 major organisations devoted to scientific research in 24 European countries, has just issued a policy briefing which recommends that research should be allowed on both embryonic stem cells and therapeutic cloning, but that this research should be under strong regulatory control. The document contains a useful summary of the current position with regard to stem cell research across Europe