Switzerland Endorses Stem Cell Research

Yesterday, in Switzerland, a vote passed legislation on stem cell research. The law will allow scientists to extract stem cells from unwanted embryos to use in research into diseases.

With a total of 66.4 percent of people from all regions in Switzerland voting for the law, most of them seem to see the advantages that stem cell research will offer. Scientists in Switzerland claim that stem cell research provides the chance to better understand conditions such as Parkinsons', Alzheimers’ or diabetes and so will bring us closer to developing treatments.

Compared to the last European country - Britain - that legalised stem cell research, the law endorsed in Switzerland is less liberal because it will just allow stem cell to be extracted from unwanted embryos instead of generating the stem cell from the cloning of a human embryo.

In Britain, the license for stem cell research which was issued in August allows human embryos of the desired genetic composition to be cloned, and from which scientists harvest the stem cell for further research. Once the stem cells is extracted from the embryo, which in effect destroys the potential of life, and it is this action that has sparked a majority of the ethical dilemma and debate.

Even though the supporter for the newly launched law in Switzerland insisted that the comparatively restrictive law has been safeguarded to avoid such ethical debate, Christian doctors and the Greens sternly oppose the law. They want a complete ban on the proposed research into human cells, arguing that it involves taking human life as the embryos are eventually destroyed.

The opposing alliance of Roman Catholic, Protestant and other groups say that removing stem cells from embryos up to seven days old amounts to killing people even though the so-called supernumerary embryos are destined to die anyway.

"Every member of the human species is entitled to human dignity," said a statement from the group.

It said the extra embryos would be carried to term and adopted. It was unclear who would be the mothers.

"So-called supernumerary embryos would have a real chance to be born through adoption," the group said.

The Basel Campaign against Gene Technology, which includes left-wing and Green opponents of the law, said the law "legalises the use of human embryos by the pharmaceutical industry, opening the door to cloning."

"This is ethically untenable," the campaign said.

Among all the European countries, England and Belgium have been shown to be the most liberal ones who have grant licenses to clone human embryos as a source of stem cells. Switzerland appears to stand in line with the Netherlands, France, Denmark and Spain, allowing research on embryos left from over artificial reproduction. Germany and Austria allow research only on imported cells.