Stem Cells

Abstract

1. The object of this Paper is to provide an independent assessment of the Donaldson Committee's Recommendations in light of the most recent advances in stem cell research.

2. Stem cells should be defined by their ability to renew themselves and diversify into other cell types.

3. There are several readily accessible sources of stem cells. Strict criteria apply to the use of these sources in medical research.

4. Stem cells have wide potential application in medicine. "Adult" stem cells have already been used in the world's first recorded case of successful gene therapy "surgery".

5. The views expressed by the Donaldson Committee's on the limitations of "adult" stem cells are now defunct.

6. Unlike "embryonic" stem cells, "adult" stem cells have already been used extensively in the successful treatment of a range of degenerative diseases and conditions and have outstanding development potential.

7. The objections to the use of "adult" stem cells advanced by the National Institutes of Health in the U.S. have been overcome, according to the most up-to-date research.

8. "Adult" stem cells have now surpassed all other sources of stem cells in terms of widespread clinical application, safety, availability and potential.

Introduction

Following the publication of stem cell research: Medical Progress with Responsibility, the long-awaited Report of the Chief Medical Officer's Expert Advisory Group on Therapeutic Cloning (August 2000), a fierce debate has ensued over the Government's decision to "accept the Report's recommendations in full.”

Focusing on the first Recommendation made by the Advisory Group (otherwise known as the Donaldson Committee) that:

"Research using human embryos (whether created by in vitro fertilization or cell nuclear replacement) to increase understanding about human disease and disorders and their cell based treatments should be permitted, subject to the controls in the Human Fertilization and Embryology Act 1990." serious ethical objections have been raised to the proposal to deliberately create and clone human embryos for the purpose o...

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...y evidence exists to prove that adult stem cells now meet all of the criteria set down by both the Donaldson Committee and the NIH in the U.S.

Work Sited

1. Government Response to the Recommendations Made in the Chief Medical Officer's Expert Group Report: "stem cell research: Medical Progress with Responsibility", Department of Health, Crown Copyright, August 2000.

2. Stem cell research: Medical Progress with Responsibility, Department of Health, Crown Copyright, August 2000.

3. Stem Cell Research: Medical Progress with Responsibility, Department of Health, Crown Copyright, August 2000.

4. Congressional Testimony of David A. Prentice, Ph.D., http://www.stemcellresearch.org/prentice. htm, February 7, 2000.

5. "Gene Therapy of Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (SCID)-X1 Disease", Science 288, 669-672, April 28 2000.

6. N.B. It is these claims that form the backbone of the case in support of the cloning of human embryos for their stem cells.

7 stem cell research: Medical Progress with Responsibility, Department of Health, Crown Copyright, August 2000.

8.stem cell research: Medical Progress with Responsibility, Department of Health, Crown Copyright, August 2000.