This was recently posted to the SPRING web site by Maureen McHugh, and I feel it
is important enough for a wider audience.

It seems that by a combination of misinformation and petty politics, research
into Therapeutic Cloning in the UK is in serious danger of being banned.

If you live in the UK it is important that you contact your MP and let him know
your views as soon as possible - the debate is next week, so time is of the
essence. You can also fax your MP at http://www.faxyourmp.com/


Donaldson may fail

Ministers are now seriously concerned that the Government's proposed new
Regulations under the HFE Act 1990 may not be approved in the Commons.
Despite the best efforts of many to persuade them, MPs continue to wrestle
with this issue and a large number of them remain undecided.  Some observers
believe that the issue will used as a party political weapon by the
Conservatives with the forthcoming election in mind, while some Labour MPs
are unsympathetic because they consider it to be a Liberal Democrat plot.
We must dispel these notions and inform MPs that this is a vitally important
issue and new research could eventually benefit around 5.6 million people in
the UK (equivalent to around 8000 people in the average constituency).

After a period of quiet, pro-life and anti-cloning supporters are now
swinging in to action.  Cardinal Thomas Winning, Roman Catholic Archbishop
of Glasgow has been in the news with the Vatican's plan for an adult stem
cell bank while last Thursday (7th Dec.), the Government conceded to the
demands of Ann Winterton MP (amongst others) agreeing to a full adjournment
debate on Donaldson.  This has been scheduled to take place on the morning
of Friday December 15th.  The vote will follow on the 20th or very soon
after the Christmas break.

It is crucial that everyone in support writes to their own as well as other
MPs.  We emphasise this time:

1) Over 100 Medical research Charities are in support including household
   names such as the British Heart Foundation, the Breast Cancer Campaign, the
   Imperial Cancer Research Fund, the MS society, the Royal National Institute
   for the Blind, the PDS etc.  They can't all be wrong.

2) The Church of England is now in support, as is the Bishop of Edinburgh.

3) Respected scientific institutions including the Royal Society, the
   Medical Research Council and the Nuffield Council on Bioethics are in
   support.

4) There simply is no evidence to date that adult stem cells or stem cells
   from the umbilical cord can produce the type of cells need to treat
   neurological conditions such as PD, Huntingdon's etc. (from Austin Smith,
   Head of the Embryonic Stem Cell Biology Unit, Edinburgh, Dec 6th).

5) There will be no human cloning, it is prohibited in law and a new Act
   will reinforce this total ban.

6) The HFE Act 1990 already allows surplus IVF embryos to be used in
   research into infertility, miscarriage, contraception, congenital disease
   and investigating genetic abnormalities. There are only 3 licences held in
   UK.

7) The HFEA will apply the same stringent controls on research applications
   under any additional categories.

We should ask MPs to understand that writing or typing letters may be very
difficult for people with a disability and that their post bag is not
representative of public opinion across their whole constituency.

Please write, email, Fax or phone your own and other MPs.  They do take
public opinion very seriously into account.  Constituency addresses, phone
and fax numbers of all local MPs are in the telephone directory under
Members of Parliament in Business and Services section.  You can contact any
MP via the House of Commons switchboard, just call 0207 2193000 and ask for
your chosen MP.  You can also fax your MP at http://www.faxyourmp.com/ - the
system will ask for your postcode and will look up your MP's details
automatically. If your own MP has expressed support then he/she has a duty
to represent your interests in this.  Urge them to attend the debate on
Friday and suggest some specific points they might make.

For further info contact: [log in to unmask] or
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Simon J. Coles                                   Email: [log in to unmask]
   For Parkinson's Disease Information see http://www.coles.org.uk/
=============== Life is too precious to take seriously ===============