- Email: [email protected]
Europe and the stem cell debate
Research Update
TRENDS in Biotechnology Vol.20 No.5 May 2002
183
Meeting Report
Europe and the stem cell debate Nissim Benvenisty regarding human embryonic stem cells was discussed and the need to establish a bank or at least a registry of human stem cells in Europe was mentioned. A representative from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) talked about the struggle to issue such regulations in the USA.
The ‘Stem Cells: Therapies for the Future?’ conference was held in Brussels, 18–19 December 2001. Published online: 21 February 2002
Every day an estimated 3000 Americans die from diseases that are potentially treatable with embryonic stem-cell-derived tissues. Recently, President Bush issued regulations regarding federal funding of human embryonic stem cell research. Although this issue is no less significant for Europe than for the USA, the European community is still grappling with the issue of regulation in the field of stem cell research and cloning. This conference showed an effort to resolve this matter. The significance of the question mark in the title of the conference is twofold: it implies that substantial research must be invested in this field so that the goal does not elude us and it questions the probability of achieving this goal without first resolving the public debate regarding such research. Advantages and limitations of stem cell research
The conference was attended by >600 participants including academic investigators, company representatives, ethics experts, legislators, patent registers, religious scholars, representatives of youth organizations, reporters, patients and others. Following the opening remarks delivered by the European Research Commissioner, Philippe Busquin, a detailed discussion took place between investigators from Germany, Israel, UK, Sweden, Spain and France about the potential and limitations of embryonic stem cells, cord blood cells, and fetal and adult stem cells. (An example of the potential of human embryonic stem cells is illustrated in Figure 1.) Although the pluripotency of human embryonic stem cells and the ability to induce genetic manipulations was acknowledged, the tumorogenicity of undifferentiated cells was also mentioned. The usefulness of hematopoietic stem cells in human therapy was discussed and the advantages of cord blood cells in prevention of cell rejection were affirmed. Although neuronal stem http://tibtech.trends.com
Conclusions Fig. 1. Neuronal differentiation of human embryonic stem cells.
cells were acknowledged to be of value in treating Parkinson’s Disease, the side effects from such therapy, as well as the difficulty involved in procuring sufficient stem cells, were also recognized. A crucial discussion took place on the plasticity of adult stem cells. Diseases considered most likely to benefit from such therapies, either now or at some point in the future, were frequently mentioned. These included cancers of the hematopoietic system, neurodegenerative diseases, hepatic failure, cardiomyopaties and diabetes mellitus. Representatives from European companies also explained the possible commercial value of the various cell types. The ethical and legal debate
Having discussed the advantages and limitations of such research from a medical and scientific angle, attention now turned to the ethical and legal debate. This debate focused not only on stem cells but also on cloning, both for reproductive and therapeutic purposes. Ethical issues such as embryo status and dignity were addressed from philosophical and theological standpoints. The discussion took into account the need to relieve patients’ suffering. There was an ethical discussion on the existence of ‘spare’embryos in in vitro fertilization clinics across Europe and their potential use in generating human embryonic stem cells. Each lecturer gave their own specific ethical viewpoint to support the use of human embryonic stem cells as means of advancing our understanding and treatment of serious diseases. Few of the participants in the discussion panels argued that the use of all embryonic tissue should be prohibited. In addition, the need for legislation
At the end of this lively conference, Axel Kahn, the president of the European Life Sciences High Level Group, concluded that current research on human stem cells, either from differentiated tissues or from embryos, is scientifically sound and medically promising and should be actively developed and supported. He argued that although the use of human stem cells in regenerative medicine is still at an early stage of development, there is real potential for using them to treat severe diseases. The Life Sciences Group therefore agreed that the European Union should continue to support research on all forms of human stem cells, including human embryonic stem cells. The Group also agreed that spare human embryos could be used for the preparation of embryonic stem cell lines. The Group declared that a European registry of human embryonic stem cell lines should be established. However, they also suggested that restrictions should be put on cloning and agreed that reproductive cloning should be prohibited. The issue of therapeutic cloning was also perceived to be problematic and as such it was felt that pursuit of alternative strategies for overcoming immune rejection should be strongly encouraged. The conference facilitated open and stimulating discussion in six languages, which in itself was most valuable. Although the goal of achieving a European consensus on stem cell research does not at this point seem probable, a majority decision does appear to be near at hand. Nissim Benvenisty The Herbert Cohn Chair in Cancer Research, Dept of Genetics, Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Givat-Ram, Jerusalem 91904, Israel. e-mail: [email protected]
0167-7799/02/$ – see front matter © 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved. PII: S0167-7799(02)01941-8
TRENDS in Biotechnology Vol.20 No.5 May 2002
183
Meeting Report
Europe and the stem cell debate Nissim Benvenisty regarding human embryonic stem cells was discussed and the need to establish a bank or at least a registry of human stem cells in Europe was mentioned. A representative from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) talked about the struggle to issue such regulations in the USA.
The ‘Stem Cells: Therapies for the Future?’ conference was held in Brussels, 18–19 December 2001. Published online: 21 February 2002
Every day an estimated 3000 Americans die from diseases that are potentially treatable with embryonic stem-cell-derived tissues. Recently, President Bush issued regulations regarding federal funding of human embryonic stem cell research. Although this issue is no less significant for Europe than for the USA, the European community is still grappling with the issue of regulation in the field of stem cell research and cloning. This conference showed an effort to resolve this matter. The significance of the question mark in the title of the conference is twofold: it implies that substantial research must be invested in this field so that the goal does not elude us and it questions the probability of achieving this goal without first resolving the public debate regarding such research. Advantages and limitations of stem cell research
The conference was attended by >600 participants including academic investigators, company representatives, ethics experts, legislators, patent registers, religious scholars, representatives of youth organizations, reporters, patients and others. Following the opening remarks delivered by the European Research Commissioner, Philippe Busquin, a detailed discussion took place between investigators from Germany, Israel, UK, Sweden, Spain and France about the potential and limitations of embryonic stem cells, cord blood cells, and fetal and adult stem cells. (An example of the potential of human embryonic stem cells is illustrated in Figure 1.) Although the pluripotency of human embryonic stem cells and the ability to induce genetic manipulations was acknowledged, the tumorogenicity of undifferentiated cells was also mentioned. The usefulness of hematopoietic stem cells in human therapy was discussed and the advantages of cord blood cells in prevention of cell rejection were affirmed. Although neuronal stem http://tibtech.trends.com
Conclusions Fig. 1. Neuronal differentiation of human embryonic stem cells.
cells were acknowledged to be of value in treating Parkinson’s Disease, the side effects from such therapy, as well as the difficulty involved in procuring sufficient stem cells, were also recognized. A crucial discussion took place on the plasticity of adult stem cells. Diseases considered most likely to benefit from such therapies, either now or at some point in the future, were frequently mentioned. These included cancers of the hematopoietic system, neurodegenerative diseases, hepatic failure, cardiomyopaties and diabetes mellitus. Representatives from European companies also explained the possible commercial value of the various cell types. The ethical and legal debate
Having discussed the advantages and limitations of such research from a medical and scientific angle, attention now turned to the ethical and legal debate. This debate focused not only on stem cells but also on cloning, both for reproductive and therapeutic purposes. Ethical issues such as embryo status and dignity were addressed from philosophical and theological standpoints. The discussion took into account the need to relieve patients’ suffering. There was an ethical discussion on the existence of ‘spare’embryos in in vitro fertilization clinics across Europe and their potential use in generating human embryonic stem cells. Each lecturer gave their own specific ethical viewpoint to support the use of human embryonic stem cells as means of advancing our understanding and treatment of serious diseases. Few of the participants in the discussion panels argued that the use of all embryonic tissue should be prohibited. In addition, the need for legislation
At the end of this lively conference, Axel Kahn, the president of the European Life Sciences High Level Group, concluded that current research on human stem cells, either from differentiated tissues or from embryos, is scientifically sound and medically promising and should be actively developed and supported. He argued that although the use of human stem cells in regenerative medicine is still at an early stage of development, there is real potential for using them to treat severe diseases. The Life Sciences Group therefore agreed that the European Union should continue to support research on all forms of human stem cells, including human embryonic stem cells. The Group also agreed that spare human embryos could be used for the preparation of embryonic stem cell lines. The Group declared that a European registry of human embryonic stem cell lines should be established. However, they also suggested that restrictions should be put on cloning and agreed that reproductive cloning should be prohibited. The issue of therapeutic cloning was also perceived to be problematic and as such it was felt that pursuit of alternative strategies for overcoming immune rejection should be strongly encouraged. The conference facilitated open and stimulating discussion in six languages, which in itself was most valuable. Although the goal of achieving a European consensus on stem cell research does not at this point seem probable, a majority decision does appear to be near at hand. Nissim Benvenisty The Herbert Cohn Chair in Cancer Research, Dept of Genetics, Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Givat-Ram, Jerusalem 91904, Israel. e-mail: [email protected]
0167-7799/02/$ – see front matter © 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved. PII: S0167-7799(02)01941-8