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The French are a wonderful people and high achievers in Science. But they're not the only Europeans in the game. Having been to 2 PD research events in England over the last 2 weeks, my biased understanding is that 2 labs in England (not private sector) are leading the world in the development of new anti-PD drugs. Some leading edge stuff in genetics is also going on. I don't know the state of cell replacement research, although I know some companies (eg ReNeuron) are in the field. Furthermore, I read today in the newspapers that the Church of England has approved of embryo cell research and regard it as no more unnatural than IVF treatment or heart transplants. The Germans must also be making progress, as the 'best bet' drug *currently* out there for stopping progression is apparently Riluzol, which I believe is German and undergoing European-wide trials in PWPs. Charles -----Original Message----- From: Michel Margosis <[log in to unmask]> To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]> Date: 30 November 2000 05:18 Subject: Re: NEWS: France to Allow Human Embryo Research WAS: Re: research >It seems to me that the French are more moral than we are in pushing stem >cell research to save lives. They will also assume the leadership in the >field and show our narrow headed 'leaders' how to promote biological >research for the good of the masses. It has taken a great many years to >accept the fact that neither the earth nor the sun is the center of the >universe although many people in these United States still believe that. > >-- Michel Margosis > 'Carpe Diem' > > >----- Original Message ----- >From: "Murray Charters" <[log in to unmask]> >To: <[log in to unmask]> >Sent: Wednesday, November 29, 2000 4:06 AM >Subject: NEWS: France to Allow Human Embryo Research WAS: Re: research > > >> On 28 Nov 2000, at 13:38, maryse Schild wrote: >> >> > I just heard the french governement, after a 5 year ban, has allowed >> > research using discarded frozen embrios. >> > Maryse >> >> Tuesday November 28 5:23 PM ET >> France to Allow Human Embryo Research >> PARIS (Reuters) - French Prime Minister Lionel Jospin said Tuesday his >> government was drawing up legislation to allow research on human embryos >> to help correct genetic birth defects and fight diseases. >> >> Jospin told a bioethics conference the bill would permit the taking of >stem >> cells--master cells that can generate most of the 200 cell types in the >human >> body--from embryos and their transfer to patients suffering from incurable >> illnesses such as Alzheimer's disease (news - web sites), diabetes or >coronary >> disease. >> >> The procedure would be authorized only on embryos between seven and >> 12 days old that were no longer destined for in-vitro reproduction. >> >> ``Thanks to these cells, diseases that are incurable today may have a >treatment >> tomorrow. Crippled children will finally be able to walk, broken men and >women >> will at last be able to stand,'' Jospin told the conference in Paris. >> >> Some people had ethical objections, he said, but there were huge potential >> benefits from embryo research and strict clauses in the law would prevent >> it from being used for eugenic purposes. >> >> One of those clauses provides for the creation of an 18-member panel to >> authorize such research projects. >> >> The legislation is likely to trigger protests by pro-life groups and fuel >debate >> on how far scientists should go in interfering with nature. >> >> ``Should philosophical, spiritual or religious motives make us deprive >society >> and the ill of the possibility of advances in treatment?'' he asked. >> >> However, Jospin emphasized that reproductive human cloning would remain >> ``strictly forbidden.'' >> >> If the draft becomes law, an embryo fertilized in-vitro could be >transferred to >> a woman's uterus up to one year after the death of the husband, as long as >he >> consented while alive. >> >> Some restrictions on organ transplants would also be lifted. >> >> The bill is due to be submitted to Parliament next March after being >reviewed >> by the national ethics committee and the national human rights commission. >> >> **************** >> [log in to unmask] >