WRITTEN QUESTION No. 906/99 by Manuel ESCOLÁ HERNANDO Spanish policy on xenotransplants
Date: 1999-04-08
Institutions: ESCOLA HERNANDO, European Parliament
Subjects: EU research policy, European social policy, Spain, bio-ethics, medical research, organ transplantation

C 27 E/24

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

29.1.2000

The Commission, for its part, is in favour of trying to establish synergies and increasing the consistency
between the ESA(cid:146)s space policy and that laid down at EU level
in the Commission communication
of December 1996 entitled (cid:145)The European Union and Space(cid:146) (1).

(1) COM(96) 617 final.

(2000/C 27 E/026)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0906/99

by Manuel EscolÆ Hernando (ARE) to the Commission

Subject: Spanish policy on xenotransplants

(8 April 1999)

The Council of Europe(cid:146)s spokesman on bioethics recently cast doubt on Spanish legislation on xenotrans-
plants, describing it as posing a threat to humans.

Spanish legislation provides that researchers may conduct trials on humans involving the transplantation
of organs taken from transgenic pigs when trials with primates have proved successful and no virus
infections have been detected for a period of six months.

Does the Commission share the opinion voiced by the Council of Europe(cid:146)s spokesman on bioethics with
regard to Spanish legislation? If so, what action will it take?

What is the Commission(cid:146)s view of the fact that the Spanish Minister for Health has not accepted the
moratorium on this type of research recommended by the Council of Europe?

Does the Commission share the Council of Europe(cid:146)s view that such research should be suspended?

Answer given by Mrs Cresson on behalf of the Commission

(7 May 1999)

Discussion of the subject of xenotransplants has been takin place within various Council of Europe bodies
for several years. In 1997, the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe made a recommendation
(RC(97)15) on xenotransplants calling on the Member States to regulate and register all activities relating
to basic and applied research, the breeding of animals for xenotransplants and the long-term monitoring of
transplanted subjects. Furthermore, in January 1999 the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe
adopted a recommendation calling for a moratorium on xenotransplants, but this is not legally binding.
Lastly, a Working Party on Xenotransplants has been jointly set up by the Council of Europe Steering
Committees on Bioethics and on Public Health, on which the Commission has observer status.

The regulation of clinical trials is an area of national competence. However, the pooling of scientific
research efforts, in particular to evaluate the risks of infection due to xenotransplants, and research on
ethics is a priority under both the 4th and the 5th framework research programmes.

(2000/C 27 E/027)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0917/99

by Eryl McNally (PSE) to the Commission

(8 April 1999)

Subject: Equal opportunities and the Fifth Framework Programme

Can the Commission assure me that reference will be made in the tender documents for all projects to the
equal opportunities and mainstreaming focus which Parliament added to the Fifth Framework Programme?