Strasbourg, 08/09/2000 (Agence Europe) - As was indicated in yesterday's EUROPE (page 8), it is with a very small majority (237 vote against 230) that the European Parliament voted against "therapeutic cloning" (involving the creation of human embryos for research purposes) and invites the United Kingdom to renounce its authorisation. According to the Parliament, the effort must be focused on developing therapies using stem cells taken from adult subjects, rather than on the creation of embryos. The Parliament invites the European Commission, in the framework of Research Framework Programme, to ensure that no research institute involved, one way or another, in the cloning of human embryos, benefits from Community financing, for any of these activities. The Parliament once more insists for the proclamation, at United Nations level, of a universal and specific ban on the cloning of human beings at all stages of growth and development.
Before the debate and vote, the European Commissioner for Research, Philippe Busquin, called for the continuation of the debate on this delicate issue, in close cooperation with the Parliament. This done, he renewed the invitation made two days earlier by President Prodi (see his declaration in EUROPE of 4&5 September, p.11) and announced the holding, the 6 and 7 November in Brussels, of a discussion forum on this theme, organised by the group of high level experts on living science established on his initiative.
"The recent scientific advances, in particular in the field of life sciences, offer prospects for very important applications, but pose ethical issues that directly affect a majority of our citizens (…). The Commission intends to take initiatives to reinforce the links between ethics committees in Europe and the exchange of good practices in terms of the ethical assessment of research projects", announced Philippe Busquin, while recalling the Commission's aim of promoting a European area for shared ethical values in Europe, while respecting the national identity and sensitivities of Member States, imposed by the Treaty.
Underlining that Community action in the field of biotechnology research bases itself on the most rigorous fundamental ethical principals, the Commissioner mentioned Community legislation on the patenting of biotechnological inventions that bans the patenting of human reproductive cloning and the commercialisation of human embryos or parts of the human body, but which "while regulating the condition in which an invention based on biotechnological matter may benefit from patent protection, does not have as aim to set conditions in which the research itself may take place". He also added that the Fifth Research Framework Programme supports research in the biomedical field while excluding, in a perfectly explicit manner, research into cloning technology for reproductive or therapeutic ends.
According to him the European Research Area has as aim to contribute to the debate, while respecting the diversity of cultures and European sensibilities.
Parliamentarians outline positions for and against "therapeutic cloning"
Following the declaration made by Commissioner Busquin, the German Christian-Democrat Peter Liese called for a general ban on cloning, both therapeutic and reproductive. The Socialist Robert Goebbles (Luxembourg) insisted on behalf of his group for the Parliament to carry out an in-depth examination of ethical issues linked to biotechnology and therapeutic cloning rather than "rapidly" reacting through the adoption of a resolution as of this week. The British Liberal Diana Wallis defended the same position and welcomed the considered nature of the Commission declaration. The Belgian Green Paul Lannoye said it is absolutely necessary to avoid this "rush forward". He insisted on the existence of other paths for treatment and notably, the cloning of stem cells from adults. While calling himself "a friend of medicine" and "very attached to research". Nicole Thomas-Maurio (UEN, France) said that it is necessary to ban without ambiguities all forms of cloning in human beings. The French Communist Francis Wurtz indicated that his group disapproves of the British decision, but does not want, due to the extreme sensitivity of ethical issues, the adopting of a resolution negotiated in haste. He spoke in favour of the forming of a temporary parliamentary committee. The Frenchwoman Francoise Grossetete (EPP-DE/DL) defended the therapeutic interests of the form of cloning that the British authorities want to authorise. She insisted on the fact the excess embryos created in invitrofertilisation are presently destroyed when they could be used to help life. The British Conservative John Purvis called on his colleagues to think of the people affected by Alzheimers or other neurodegenerative diseases and who would be the first to benefit from this technique. He explained the British industry has no intention of developing any form of reproductive cloning.