Brussels, 29/11/2001 (Agence Europe) - During an often impassioned debate on human genetics, with frequent references to human dignity and Christian values versus cloud cuckoo land and Frankenstein, many MEPs asserted on Thursday that nobody has a monopoly over ethics. The vote on the report by the temporary committee on human genetics confirmed this in a way since the European Parliament was unable to reach a clear enough view to reach a majority decision. After adopting a series of amendments on new research potential and banning human cloning techniques and research using embryos, the report by Francesco Fiori (Forza Italia) was finally rejected by a huge majority (37 to 316 with 47 abstentions). The vote again demonstrates how difficult it is to strike a balance between protecting human dignity and other fundamental values on the one hand and patient expectations, the freedom of research and economic interest on the other. All the same, this counter-performance does not mean that the EP does not have an opinion on the issue. It has simply gone back to the clear position it took when adopting the report by French Socialist Gérard Caudron on the 6th Framework Research Programme, when it called for human cloning for reproductive purposes to be banned; for research on embryos of up to 14 days old to be authorised as long as the current legislation in countries where such research is authorised is respected (see EUROPE of 15 November, p.10).
Before the vote Mr Fiori called on the Parliament to assume its responsibilities and oppose using the human body as an instrument and oppose research into hereditary genetic modifications and the division between therapeutic cloning and cloning for reproductive purposes which could lead to embryos being specially produced for use. He called for tighter legislation on patenting, arguing that research into adult stem cells was just as promoting as research into embryo stem cells. The Italian MEP Elena Paciotti (Democratici di Sinistra) called on Parliament to not allow the position taken in the Caudron report to be challenged, saying that the Fiori report was inspired by fear rather than reason. She said that research into embryos that are surplus to requirements should be possible if it can save lives. The Finnish Liberal Astrid Thors wondered whether they wanted Europe to become a museum, and called on Parliament send a positive signal to researchers. German Green Hiltrud Breyer called for cloning to be banned since there was nothing but a semantic difference between therapeutic cloning and reproductive cloning. She argued that the use of embryo stem cells could not be justified if adult cells can be used and that women should not become the suppliers of spare parts. Raising the lessons to be learned from the Frankenstein novel, Geneviève Fraisse (French Independent elected on the Communist list) called for research to be better managed. She argued against cloning but in favour of using spare embryos. Liam Hyland (UEN, Ireland), Johannes Blokland (EDD, the Netherlands) and Jean-Marie Le Pen (Front National, France) supported the Fiori report, while Gianfranco Dell'Alba (Lista Bonino) called for freedom of research and embryonic research.
Calling for "responsible" progress in technology, Commissioner Philippe Busquin said that research has to be free, even if ethical issues are vital in human genetics. He acknowledged the need for research into rare diseases to be better co-ordinated in Europe and for various aspects of European legislation on pharmaceutical products to be changed. The Commission will examine how privacy can be respected with regard to insurance, he signalled, arguing that there was not need to amend or review the 1998 directive on the patenting of biotechnology, although some areas needed to be clarified because scinece was moving so fast. Mr Busquin said the Commission was planning to set up a group of science experts and lawyers to prepare the necessary clarifications and called for open and as broad a dialogue as possible between researchers, lawyers, politicians and citizens in the framework of "Science and Society". Pointing out that the Commission has come out against the production of embryos and has supported the Franco-German initiative aiming at an international convention banning human cloning for reproductive purposes, Mr Busquin argued that authorising the use of spare embryos in order to produce human stem cells was a "balanced position", although many questions had not yet been settled, some of which are scientific.