German parliament to vote on stem cell research laws

Medical scientists in Germany are lobbying politicians ahead of a crucial vote scheduled for 14 February, which they say will decide the future of human embryonic stem cell (ES cell) research in the country. Oliver Brüstle, a neuropathologist at the University of Bonn, told the British Medical Journal (BMJ) that he and other stem cell scientists have visited MPs to plead their case. At present, German researchers are only permitted to work on imported human ES cell lines that were created before 2002.

In 2001 the Bundestag made it illegal to produce stem cells from human embryos, and illegal for scientists to carry out research on human stem cells that had been imported into Germany after 1 January 2002. Last year, the German National Ethics Council - a medical ethics policy group that advises the German government - voted narrowly in favour of scrapping the ban on importing new stem cell lines. It did not advocate allowing German scientists to create new ES cell-lines, however, either from embryos 'left-over' after fertility treatment or from embryos specifically created for research purposes.

The parliament will debate four alternative proposals ahead of the forthcoming vote: to keep the law as it is; to move the cut-off date for imported cell lines to 1 May 2007; to remove the cut-off date altogether; or to ban human embryonic stem cell research altogether. Dr Brüstle told the BMJ that scientists are lobbying for a complete removal of the cut-off date, because although a more recent date would be an improvement, it would mean that in a few years time they would once again be denied access to the latest ES cell-lines. He warned that if the law was not changed, 'that would essentially put an end to human embryonic stem cell research in Germany'.

As a Catholic, Dr Brüstle has apparently attracted much criticism for his support of human ES cell research, which many scientists believe will lead to new treatments for many serious medical conditions. German research minister Annette Schaven, also a Catholic, has also come under fire in recent months, following her support for a 'one time move' to change the cut-off date for imported ES cell-lines.