The British House of Lords yesterday gave the go-ahead for medical research on stem cells from human embryos, in the face of calls from religious leaders to put a brake on developments in the area.
Peers voted by a majority of 120 to allow changes to the regulations governing research to allow so-called `therapeutic' cloning of human embryo cells under two weeks old. They heard the junior health minister, Lord Hunt, argue that the embryo research could help in the battle to conquer Parkinson's disease, cancers, strokes, heart disease and other serious conditions.
The peers' vote was welcomed by the Liberal Democrat science spokesman, Mr Evan Harris, who first introduced the proposal to the House of Commons, where it also won a large majority. Among Lord Alton's supporters were Tory peers deputy leader Baroness Blatch, the Bishop of St Albans, leading Muslim Lord Ahmed and former Archbishop of York Lord Habgood.
His opponents included fertility professor and TV scientist Lord Winston, crossbencher Baroness Warnock who led an ethical inquiry into IVF treatment in the 1980s, and Baroness Kennedy of The Shaws, chairman of the Human Genetics Commission.
Lord Walton made a robust plea to the House not to hold up vital work which could alleviate suffering for thousands.
"This type of research is a beacon of hope on the horizon, we must not fail these people," he said.
He rejected utterly the notion that a "rogue scientist in a back room could undertake such work and clone human beings".
"The whole idea of reproductive cloning is abhorrent and the Government is proposing to make that a criminal offence."
Lord Hunt assured peers that it was not the "slippery slope" to human reproductive cloning.
He said the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority had said they would not licence such work and the Government had said it will introduce primary legislation.
Peers heard during the debate that it could take up to a year before the first research permits were granted by the HFEA and that a breakthrough in the medicine could take a further ten years.
Legislation enabling scientists to clone human embryos for medical research faced tough opposition from peers in the House of Lords yesterday. (Monday).
The controversial legislation has divided opinion, with several religious leaders and peers opposed to the proposals raising ethical and moral objections. while The British government, on the other hand, has argued that research could help in the search for cures for diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and some cancers.
Non-specific stem cells from cloned cells will be used to grow other types of cells such as skin or blood. Research on embryos up to two weeks old has been allowed since 1990, but only for research into fertility.
Before a free vote on the proposals a crossbencher, Lord Alton of Liverpool, who is against the research, tabled an amendment calling for a select committee to consider the implications of the issue and report back to peers before regulations would be accepted.
But the government supported an amendment that will establish a select committee after the passage of the regulations.
In a passionate speech, Lord Alton told peers he found it surprising that the government could find time last week for a parliamentary debate on banning hunting with hounds, but was prepared to rush through legislation on embryo research without a proper discussion.
"The ethical issues raised by this cannot be lightly dismissed," he said, and he questioned the idea of treating a human embryo as "just another accessory to be created, bartered, frozen or destroyed".
"There is nothing therapeutic in this procedure for the new human embryo. Once it has been used the human embryo will be destroyed," he said.
"Since 1990, when miracle cures were promised for 4,000 inherited diseases, between 300,000 and half a million human embryos have been destroyed or experimented upon. There have been no cures, but our willingness to walk this road has paved the way for more and more demand."