Brussels, 01/04/2003 (Agence Europe) - By adopting (31 for and 17 against) the report of the German Christian Democrat, Peter Liese, the European Parliament Environment and Public health Committee has recommended significant amendments to the draft European Commission directive presented in June 2002 for harmonising quality and safety criteria in the therapeutic use of human cells and tissue. Elaborated on the same model as the directive on blood, including its components and repercussions, this proposal aims to facilitate the circulation of products while guaranteeing a high level of safety (see EUROPE 20 June 2002). The report is demanding that the two papers are completed by an identical directive on human transplant organs.
The amendments contained in the Liese report focus on almost all the aspect of the Commission proposed paper. A new definition of tissues and cells aims to guarantee a cover that would only exclude nails and horses. The directive would thus cover human stem cells from embryos, placentas and blood from the umbilical cord etc. In the ethical field, the position adopted by the Parliamentary committee is the result of the large differences. It certainly insists that the rules are very precise with relation to information and authorisation form the donor and request that Member States give priority to voluntary and free donations but it also, at the same time, allows for commercial activities to be carried out. In the context of umbilical cord blood, mainly targeted by private banks that already in certain Member States and the USA, it proposes the storage at the time of the child's birth, the Parliamentary committee calls on ms to encourage this kind of practice but in another amendment, it demands that mothers are informed of the fact that potential use is not yet carried out and the financial cost of this kind of operation. The Commission is demanding a ban on cloning and has introduced an amendment that guarantees respect of the subsidiarity principle by authorising Member States to regulate or ban the use of certain embryonic and foetal stem cells.