Clone research scientists defend their work

Oct 5 2004 By The Journal

Scientists spearheading a genetic revolution in the North-East defended the use of cloning in medical research, as they came face-to-face last night with some of their critics.

Professor Alison Murdoch and Dr Miodrag Stojkovic, from Newcastle's Centre for Life, rejected ethical objections to the use of human embryos for research into diseases like diabetes, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.

In a public lecture at the Centre for Life they explained the therapeutic cloning process for which they were given permission in August.

Dr Stojkovic said his team were by law only allowed to use cells up to 14 days after fertilisation.

Audience members suggested that he was experimenting on a potential human being, but he rejected the view that a cell at such an early stage of development could be classed as a person.

He said: "First, nobody wants these embryos. They are being discarded and, if the parents agree, I don't see any ethical concerns about using them.

"Why shouldn't we use these stem cells to treat somebody who is with us today, part of our lives or part of our family?"

The team at the Centre for Life use spare embryos from IVF treatment that would otherwise be discarded.

Prof Murdoch said 57 to 82pc of couples agreed to donate eggs to the research.

She said: "They understand that they wouldn't be there unless someone had previously donated cells to let us develop IVF treatments in the first place."