Parliament had already approved embryo research in 1990, mainly for research into treating infertility and avoiding or preventing childhood disabilities. Wednesday's announcement called for the scope of approved research to be broadened. The Department of Health said that Britain's Prime Minister Tony Blair will leave it to the members of parliament to decide in a free vote whether or not scientists should be allowed to clone human embryo cells for a broader spectrum of research. Some would say that this in effect creates human beings and then kills them.
Therapeutic cloning means killing.
Life said in a statement released on Wednesday before Donaldson made his comments. Life and other charities like it would like to see more work done to follow up on new research showing that adult stem cells, instead of embryonic ones, could be used to develop tissues and organs. Donaldson has in return called for research into alternative sources of stem cells and said experiments on embryos would only be permitted if the Human Fertilization and Embryology Authority was satisfied there were no other options. He feels restrictions in this area should be maintained. Under the terms of the 1990 act, Britain has some of the strictest cloning regulations in the world.