Clinton approves embryo cell research

It could lead to a cure for cancer or Parkinson's disease

The United States Government has released guidelines that will allow scientists to conduct publicly funded research using cells taken from human embryos.

A government body, the National Institutes of Health, says that any work must follow its ethical and legal guidelines.

We cannot walk away from the potential to save lives and improve lives, to help people literally get up and walk

President Clinton

Some scientists say the research, using special cells known as stem-cells, has the potential to transform medicine, leading to treatments for diseases which are incurable at present.

However the work is opposed by religious and anti-abortion groups which consider it immoral.

Potential

Announcing the change, President Bill Clinton said: "We cannot walk away from the potential to save lives and improve lives, to help people literally get up and walk, to do all kinds of things we could never have imagined".

Human embryo: Cloning raises ethical concerns

He said his administration had reached its decision after reviewing the extensive guidelines issued by the NIH.

Stem cells can be taken from human embryos and manipulated so that they develop into other types of cells, such as muscle, nerve, heart and even blood cells.

These special cells could also be grown into replacement organs and tissue.

The NIH says such research promises new treatments and possible cures for many debilitating diseases and injuries, including Parkinson's disease, diabetes, heart disease, multiple sclerosis, burns and spinal cord injuries.

Guidelines

Up to now, US law did not allow this kind of research to be publicly funded.

All applications for grants from the government will be considered by a special stem cell review group, which is to be set up to ensure compliance with the official guidelines.

Clinton said the potential benefits were staggering

These specify that scientists will be able to study only stem cells taken from frozen embryos left over from in vitro fertilisation [fertilisation in a test tube], when couples have conceived the children they wanted.

The rules also ban payment for embryos, so that people should not be encouraged to create embryos specifically for research.

'Destruction of life'

However critics argue that any research on embryos destroys human life.

Senator Sam Brownback from Kansas said: "It is never acceptable to deliberately kill one innocent human being in order to help another".

Last week the British government said it was proposing legislation to cover similar research on embryo cells.