Brussels, 18/12/2001 (Agence Europe) - At a press conference, Commissioner Philippe Busquin outlined the aims of the conference organised in Brussels on 18/19 December by the European Commission on "Stem cells - the treatment of the future?". Apart from the need to consider progress in stem cell research, he noted that it was essential to create dialogue between the different viewpoints in Europe and stimulate an open debate to avoid any kind of "obscurantism". Once again, Mr Busquin stressed the need to strike a balance between respecting freedom of research and the vital ethical framework for research and how it is used. Professor Axel Kahn (Cochin Molecular Genetics Institute) pointed out that much work remained to be done but that the prospect of treatment was within reach. The British geneticist Anne McLaren remarked that in the current state of knowledge, there was not yet any guarantee that stem cells would be effective in treating disease.