UK parliament approves embryo stem cell research

Research into the use of  early embryo cells to develop new disease treatments looks set to go ahead in the UK, following a free vote held in the House of Commons on 19 December. British MPs voted in favour of the proposed changes to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology (HFE) Act of 1990 by 366 votes to 174. If approved by the House of Lords on 16 January, the new regulations will come into force at the end of the month.

Currently, the HFE Act allows scientists to carry out licensed research on human embryos less than fourteen days old if they are investigating infertility, the causes of miscarriage, serious genetic conditions or new forms of contraception. The new regulations will permit research on early embryos for three additional purposes: to increase knowledge about the development of embryos, to increase knowledge of serious diseases, and to use such knowledge to develop new disease treatments.

Scientists now hope to use embryo stem cells (early embryo cells capable of developing into a wide range of body tissues) to develop new therapies for illnesses such as Parkinson's disease and diabetes. Such research could eventually involve 'therapeutic cloning' - the creation of embryo stem cells with a genetic make-up identical to that of the patient. Leading UK stem cell researcher, Dr Austin Smith, said the result of the vote was very important for the whole of science, as it put embryonic stem cell research into the public domain. But it was far too early for embryo cloning, he added. 'At the right time, in a few years, laboratories may apply for licences to do that, but not yet' he told the Daily Telegraph newspaper.