28/08/2006

United States. A company has announced a technique for obtaining human embryonic stem cells without destroying embryos

Advanced Cell Technology, a U.S. biotech company, recently announced that its scientists have discovered a revolutionary method for obtaining human stem cells from human embryos without destroying them.

This discovery, which was quickly announced in many scientific and other magazines around the world, could influence the future debate about the ethical aspects of research activities involving human embryonic stem cells, since the harm to embryos under the current techniques is one of the basic arguments against them.

It is important to remember that there is a strong debate on this issue regarding the adoption of the Seventh Framework Programme in Europe, and a law for the federal funding of such activities was recently vetoed by the President of the U.S.

Related Links:
Advanced Cell Technology press release
Related news item in CORDIS web site

Related IPR-Helpdesk news:
2006/07/26 European Union. The Competitiveness Council reaches a political agreement on FP7