Hawking speaks out in defence of stem cell research

Stephen Hawking

Stephen Hawking, the world's best-known living scientist, has attacked "reactionary" forces in Europe and America who are trying to ban research into stem cells derived from human embryos.

Professor Hawking, who suffers from motor neurone disease, has criticised both President Bush and European governments who want to stop the funding of research with embryonic stem cells which promises to revolutionise the treatment of many incurable conditions.

His attack comes on the day that an attempt will be made in Brussels to prevent any money from the European Union's €54 billion science budget being spent over the next seven years on research into human embryonic stem cells.

Germany is leading an attempt to change the way the EU science budget can be spent by individual member states.

The plan to block stem cell research has been bolstered by President Bush's use of a veto last week which prevents US federal funds being spent on research into embryonic stem cells.

"I strongly oppose the move to ban stem cell research funding from the European Union," said Professor Hawking, who holds the same chair in mathematics at Cambridge University that was once held by Sir Isaac Newton in 1663.

"Europe should not follow the reactionary lead of President Bush who recently vetoed a bill passed by Congress and supported by a majority of the American people that would have allowed federal funding for stem cell research," he said in a statement to The Independent.

"Stem cell research is the key to developing cures for degenerative conditions like Parkinson's and motor neurone disease from which I and many others suffer," he said.

Stem cells are sometimes described as the "mother cells" of the body because of their ability to give rise to any one of the many dozens of specialised cells and tissues of the body.

Scientists hope to use stem cells from spare IVF embryos to grow healthy specialised cells that can be transplanted into the body as a tissue-repair kit for the vital organs, such as the heart, pancreas, kidney and brain.

The technique promises to form the basis of radical therapies for scores of debilitating and incurable conditions, such as spinal cord injuries, multiple sclerosis, diabetes, heart disease, liver failure and cancer.

However, President Bush and some religious authorities, notably the Catholic Church, argue that the microscopic four-day-old embryos from which stem cells are derived are potential human lives.

They believe it is immoral to take stem cells from any human embryo even for the purpose of saving lives because the process involves the destruction of embryos.

But Professor Hawking dismissed these objections, saying that banning stem cells from human embryos is equivalent to opposing the use of donated organs from dead people.

"The fact that the cells may come from embryos is not an objection because the embryos are going to die anyway," Professor Hawking said.

"It is morally equivalent to taking a heart transplant from a victim of a car accident.

I'm pleased that people are now using stem cells for motor neurone disease - but I'm not holding my breath," he said.

At an EU Council of Ministers meeting today, Germany, Austria, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Lithuania, Luxembourg and Malta are preparing to vote in favour of a change to the way the EU science budget can be spent.

At present individual member states can decide for themselves whether the funds can be used for research into stem cells that have been derived from spare IVF embryos.

Germany, however, wants to end this principle of "subsidiarity" - the right of members states to make their own decisions on the issue.

Lord Rees of Ludlow, president of the Royal Society, has written to Lord Sainsbury, Britain's science minister, in support of the existing arrangements which allow European funds to be spent on embryonic stem cells.

"Last week the United States decided to stay in the slow lane on stem cell research, hindering the global race to develop therapies that could benefit millions of people," Lord Rees said.

"It now appears that some countries wish to force the EU as well into the slow lane alongside the United States," he said.

Although a ban on EU funding for stem cell research would not affect British government funding, it would nevertheless deliver a big blow to patients around the world, Lord Rees said.

"It may also encourage researchers to look outside the EU to carry out important work on human embryonic stem cells," he said.

Azim Surani, a leading stem-cell researcher at the University of Cambridge, said that Europe could fall behind other countries that are forging ahead with stem cell research.

"Europe should not be complacent or we will lag behind in the field, since Singapore and Australia are also making significant advances in the field," Dr Surani said.

Diplomats say they cannot predict the outcome of today's discussions which aim to agree on a ?50.5bn research package for 2007-13.

Stem cell research would gain only a fraction of that spending.

Ireland, Italy, Spain and France, where the Roman Catholic Church is strong, have not so far opposed the deal on the table.

That is because this plan says that EU-funded stem cell research would not take place in countries which ban the practice because national rules could not be overridden.

But the group of eight wants to go further and prevent European funds being used for the practice anywhere.

If they stick together the eight countries have enough votes to block the package.

Finland, which holds the presidency of the EU, is seeking to win over some of the rebels.

It argues that embracing such new technologies is vital if Europe is to gain a cutting edge in science and research.

However some officials are concerned that Italy might switch sides under domestic pressure and because of lobbying from opponents of stem cell research.

Opposition to the plan on the table is strong in Germany and Austria where genetic experimentation has uncomfortable associations with the Nazi era.

The Germany research minister, Annete Schavan, spelled out her country's position in a letter to Finland, which holds the rotating presidency of the EU, arguing: "The European Union science programme should not be used to give financial incentives to kill embryos."

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