PET deputy director Sandy Starr joined a panel of experts speaking at an event called 'Stembryos: The Future of Reproduction' at London's Science Museum.
Joining Sandy on the panel were:
- Dr Naomi Moris (Group Leader, Developmental Models Laboratory, Francis Crick Institute)
- Julian Hitchcock (of Counsel, Biolawgy Consulting)
- Emily Jackson (Professor of Law, the London School of Economics and Political Science)
- Dr Philip Ball (award-winning science writer, previously an editor at the journal Nature) who chaired the event.
As stem cell-based embryo models (SCBEMs) become increasingly more sophisticated, they also raise big questions such as how do we define a human embryo and what should be the limit of such research? The panel discussed the cutting edge science and the lack of clarity in the law about how an embryo is or is not defined.
Sandy explained his involvement with the Governance of Stem Cell-Based Embryo Models (G-SCBEM) project which is led by Cambridge Reproduction. The G-SCBEM project includes scientists, lawyers and bioethicists working together to develop a code of practice for the use of so-called stembryos in the lab. SCBEMs are a very fast-developing area of research, and it is crucial that guidance – both statutory and non-statutory – is able to keep pace with new developments. The absence of clear, transparent guidance hinders research and risks damaging public confidence.
By producing a clear and comprehensive framework for governance of research using SCBEMs, the project aims to enable scientists to proceed with their research with confidence, while maintaining public trust in this area.
The event was reviewed for BioNews by Naomi Phillips (see BioNews 1232).