UK Scientists Angry at US Firm's Stem Cell Bank Plan
Scientists in the UK have reacted angrily to a US company's controversial plan to store stem cells from leftover embryos used in IVF treatment. Theoretically, archived cells sourced from a particular embryo could aid a brother/sister suffering from a serious illness years down the line. However, in the eyes of Lord Robert Winston, the proposal feeds on the fears of parents.
The company behind the initiative is StemLifeLine, and it was showcased at the recent American Society for Reproductive Medicine conference.
Stem cells are able to develop into many different forms of human tissue. Regarded as the anatomical 'master cells', a large number of scientists consider that stem cells could, in future years, be used to combat diseases including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.
Human embryos produce stem cells. In the majority of IVF cycles, excess embryos are created which, normally, are either thrown away or frozen. In terms of scientific research, the issue of stem cells is still at a primal stage; embryo-derived stem cells are yet to be employed in the treatment/cure of a human disease.
At the recent conference, StemLifeLine's proposal focused on using frozen embryos to reap and develop stem cells. The firm, which is based in California, alleges that embryos can under transformation, resulting in the creation of individualised stem cells.
Experts in the UK responded less than positively to the news. Lord Winston described the US company's plan as "...a clear example of exploitation of the worries of couples about the fate of their children." He added: "There is no scientific evidence to sustain the notion that this will be a useful procedure. I would be horrified if anyone tried to do this in Britain."
Professor Stephen Minger - a London King's College-based expert in the field of stem cells - highlighted how such a move would be a premature one. "My worry is that this is a commercial service that is being promoted to companies when the science is really not there to justify it", he stressed.
"It is like trying to run before you can walk, and the fact it is being done for commercial purposes makes it worse."
The regulation of how IVF embryos are used in the UK is the responsibility of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA). A spokesman from the body pointed out the chance of a comparable scheme gaining approval in the UK was a slim one. "To get a licence, scientists must show that the creation of stem cells in every case both a necessary and desirable use of human embryos", he emphasised.
Source - Pharmaceutical International's Research and Development Analyst
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