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Embryo law 'will hit Alzheimer's cure research' By Nic Fleming, Science Correspondent Last Updated: 1:01pm GMT 21/01/2008 Research into new treatments for diseases including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's will be delayed by new laws limiting stem cell research, a group of leading scientists say. Under the Human Fertilisation and Embryology (HFE) Bill any work involving the use of cloned embryonic stem cells will require the consent of its donor. A group of 29 scientists including three Nobel prizewinners warned in a letter that the provision would deny them access to tissue banks which act as libraries of the genes that trigger the serious diseases they want to study. advertisement Much of the tissue was collected before it became possible to clone embryos, meaning patients would not have been able to consent to their genetic material being used for work of this kind. Seeking retrospective permission will not be possible as most of the tissue was donated anonymously. "Such stem cell lines would be of great value in understanding how diseases develop, as well in the search for therapies," the letter says. The Government and some campaigners say patients who gave their cells for research might not have done so had they known the work involved use of embryos. A spokesman for the Department of Health said: "We consider express consent from a gamete or cell donor is necessary to reflect the special status of the human embryo." Dr Calum MacKellar, of the Scottish Council on Human Bioethics, said: "For scientists to clone human embryos without the consent of cell donors, which contains the genetic material, would be completely unethical. "It would be like creating an identical twin embryo of a person by using his or her cells without consent. "A certain amount of humility is required from the scientists who have signed this letter. "They need to realise that it is not because the research is acceptable to them that is it not extremely offensive to many patients and a large section of the UK general public." The rules will apply to the creation of part-human, part-animal embryos created by transferring a cell from a person into an animal egg which has had its DNA removed. Scientists have recently been given permission to use this technique to create stem cells with the same genetic defects as those with a disease - giving them a powerful new tool for understanding the causes of illnesses and developing new therapies. Lord Patel of Dunkeld, the chairman of the UK Stem Cell Network Steering Committee, has tabled an amendment to the HFE Bill - currently passing through Parliament - that would overturn the consent provision. Signatories include the Nobel medicine laureates Sir Martin Evans, Sir Paul Nurse and Sir John Sulston, as well as leading stem cell researchers such as Sir Ian Wilmut, Dame Julia Polak, Professor Stephen Minger and Professor Robin Lovell-Badge. Rayilyn Brown Board Member AZNPF Arizona Chapter National Parkinson's Foundation [log in to unmask] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn