Spain approves human embryo research

Human embryo research in France.

The French law on bioethics, voted upon in July 1994, is going to be revised. This is the occasion for France to reconsider its position concerning research on human embryos, which is currently prohibited in France, as it is in Germany, Switzerland and Austria. However, such research is authorised in other European countries such as the UK, Spain, Belgium, Italy and The Netherlands. The establi...

Morality and human embryo research

The readers of EMBO reports will be familiar with the broad outlines of the debate about whether it is morally acceptable to destroy human embryos for the purposes of medical research. The Talking Point articles published here exemplify the two sides of this debate: Robert George and Patrick Lee argue that such research is inherently wrong, whereas Thomas Douglas and Julian Savulescu contend th...

Human embryo research: lessons from history.

Human embryonic stem cell (hESC) and human embryo research.

Human embryonic stem cell research has emerged as an important platform for the understanding and treatment of pediatric diseases. From its inception, however, it has raised ethical concerns based not on the use of stem cells themselves but on objections to the source of the cells--specifically, the destruction of preimplantation human embryos. Despite differences in public opinion on this issu...

Human Embryo and Fetal Research: Medical Support and Political Controversy

promise of research involving human embryos and fetuses for the advancement of basic science as well as for the development of lifesaving vaccines and therapies. Such research continues to this day as scientists seek new treatments for a variety of diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, diabetes, heart disease and kidney failure. But government funding for human embryo and ...