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Europe’s Brain Drain Could Accelerate If The EU Fails To Invest In Life Sciences Europe’s brain drain could accelerate if the EU fails to invest in life sciences, the European Commission has warned ahead of a key vote in Brussels this Wednesday. As EU ministers gear up to discuss stem cell research, two new reports show that increasing numbers of European scientists are choosing to work abroad. And the situation could get worse, according to research commissioner Philippe Busquin on Tuesday. “If we are hesitant about research in areas such as life sciences, others will step in,” Busquin told journalists. EU funding for stem cell research was approved by the European Parliament last week, but now has to make it past the scrutiny of government ministers at this week’s competitiveness council. Experiments using stem cells from human embryos are strongly opposed by a coalition of right-wingers, greens, Catholics and anti-abortionists. The research offers a field of study in which the EU could for once outstrip the USA, where the practice is currently illegal. The ‘brain drain’ documented in Tuesday’s reports from the commission shows that leading European scientists still feel most cutting edge science takes place across the Atlantic. Stem cell research may eventually offer a cure for diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. But it is opposed by many countries – notably Germany – on ethical grounds. The commission's proposal on funding for stem cell research was adopted in July. It has been discussed once before at a council of ministers in September. SOURCE: EUpolitix http://www.eupolitix.com/EN/News/f9ea4527-abe6-407b-9849-a4db792a932c.htm * * * ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn