Australia extends embryo stem cell research

Australian scientists will be able to use embryos left over from fertility treatment to derive new embryonic stem cell (ES cell) lines, following Prime Minister John Howard's decision not to extend a moratorium on such research. The three year ban, put in place to allow more time to debate the ethics and regulation of ES cells, meant that only embryos created before 5 April 2002 could be used for this purpose. Now, scientists can also use left over IVF embryos created after that date, although it will still be illegal to create embryos solely for research.

Howard's decision is an indication of the nationwide support for stem cell research, according to Frank Sartor, the New South Wales Minister for Medical Research. 'People of goodwill throughout the country and two-thirds of parliamentarians pretty much voted for this approach', he said. However, the end of the ban will only apply to scientists seeking a new research licence, and not to existing licence-holders. Since the moratorium was introduced, individual states - largely supportive of an end to the ban - have introduced their own laws governing the use of human embryos for research.

A national law passed in December 2002 banned therapeutic cloning - the proposed use of embryo stem cells derived using cloning technology to develop genetically-matched cell therapies for a range of diseases. When the Act was being debated, it seemed at first that the government would propose that all ES cell research in Australia be limited to existing stem cell lines, as it had been in the US in August 2001. But some state leaders said they would allow ES cell research to take place in their states despite a federal ban and, following additional pressure from the scientific community, in April 2002 Prime Minister John Howard approved research on stem cells derived from embryos left over from fertility treatments carried out before that date.

Special Minister of State Eric Abetz has criticised the decision not to extend the ban, saying that it does not take into account advances using adult stem cells. He said it was his personal belief that scientists should concentrate on adult stem cell research, and 'abandon embryonic stem cell research which involves the destruction of, and experimentation on, human life'. Democrat science and biotechnology spokeswoman Natasha Stott Despoja said the Government should now reveal which politicians will be involved in a review of the legislation governing embryo research at the end of this year. 'While welcoming this latest backflip from the Government on stem cell research, I suspect some conservative government members are saving themselves for a bigger debate, potentially around the issue of so-called therapeutic cloning', she said.