Open letter to MPs from Medical Research Organisations

Dr Mark Walport, Wellcome Trust, Sir Leszek Borysiewicz, Chief Executive of the Medical Research Council, and Professor Martin Bobrow, Chair of the Academy of Medical Sciences Working Group on ‘Inter-species Embryos urge MP’s to reject amendments to the Bill which ban research on ‘hybrid’ embryos.

For more information see here: Open letter to MPs

 

MPs must give scientists the power to save lives

The Primeminister, Gordon Brown, shows his support for stem cell research in Sundays Observer.

Full story available here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/may/18/stemcells.medicalresearch

Scientists and Bishops meet to discuss ethics of embryonic stem cell research

Scientists, ethicists, heads of medical charities and religious leaders met on Friday evening (16 May) at the Wellcome Collection in London to discuss the Human Embryology and Fertilisation Bill currently before parliament.

For more details see: Scientists and Bishops Meet

Clinical trials with human embryonic stem cells possible in 18 months to 3 years

Leading scientists, Pete Coffey and Stephen Minger, respond to questions raised in Parliament on how long it will be before we will see clinical trials with human embryonic stem cells.

For more details see: Embryonic Stem Cell Clinical Trials

The Progess Educational Trust and Natalie Gamble, leading fertility law expert with Lester Aldridge LLP, against the ‘need for a father’ amendments

The PET and Natalie Gamble urge Parliament to reject any amendments to the Bill which would require a ‘need for a father’ clause. They argue that the propsed amendments are inherently discrimminatory towards single women and lesbian couples.

For more on this see: Need for a Father

The British Medical Association supports removal of the ‘need for a father’ clause

The BMA supports the need for fertiliy clinics to consider the welfare of the resultant child, but says that the ‘need for a father clause’ ought to be removed. This would recognise the changes in social attitude which have taken place.

See more here: BMA Briefing Child Welfare and the Need for a Father

Prof Peter Braudie and Dr Ruth Warwick comment on the concept of ’saviour siblings’

Peter braudie and Ruth Warwick, fertility experts, explain the science behind so-called ’saviour siblings’. They provide background information about its use.

See here: Saviour Siblings

British Medical Association supports embryo testing and ’saviour siblings’

The BMA supports the testing of embryos for pre-implantation genetic screening and diagnosis, pre-implantation sex selection for medical reasons, tissue typing, and paternity/maternity testing. They also support the inclusion of a regulatory-making power in the Bill which would enable Parliament to add new types of testing not yet envisaged in the future.

For more information see: BMA Briefing Embryo Testing

British Medical Association supports for embryo research

The BMA strongly supports the use of human embryos in research subject to statutory controls. They belive that regulation through the HFEA licencing and inspection regime has worked well since 1991 and has helped to maintain public confidence in such research.

For more information see the latest BMA briefing here: BMA Briefing Embryo Research

Leading fertility doctor, Simon Fishel, states the case for pre-implantation genetic diagnosis and saviour siblings

use of PGD in order to help families with a sick child have a tissue-matched sibling. He argues that the good brought about by the birth of a tissue-matched sibling far outweighs any perceived harm.

For more details see Stating the Case for PGD