Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

[**Avis juridique important**](../../../editorial/legal_notice.htm)

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# 91997E0237(01)

**WRITTEN QUESTION No. 237/97 by Gianni TAMINO to the Commission. Human brain transplants at the hospital of Kiev in Ukraine (SUPPLEMENTARY ANSWER)** 
  
*Official Journal C 045 , 10/02/1998 P. 0005*

  

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0237/97 by Gianni Tamino (V) to the Commission (7 February 1997)

Subject: Human brain transplants at the hospital of Kiev in Ukraine

In Cleveland Ohio (USA) a Doctor White has for decades been carrying out 'experiments' in a hospital involving the transplant of baboons' brains and heads to animals of the same species and has for many years been publicizing the fact that he would like to transplant human heads and/or brains to other human beings in order to solve the problems of tetraplegics. He claims that this would result in the transfer of memory, feelings, knowledge, personality and even 'soul' from one person to another.

As can be easily imagined, this hypothesis raises serious ethical and scientific problems. In order to overcome any ethical and moral difficulties, Doctor White has, according to an interview he gave to the Italian weekly 'Sette', chosen to continue his 'experiments' at the hospital in Kiev, Ukraine, where he has already worked in the past.

On 6 December 1996 the General Affairs Council adopted an action plan for the development of relations with Ukraine, which envisages, inter alia, measures in the field of universities, health and bringing of Ukrainian standards into line with those of the Community.

Does the Commission not consider that it should inform the Ukrainian Government that experiments involving human brain transplants contravene the Bioethics Convention and are a crime against humanity and that to permit such 'experiments' could compromise the EU/Ukraine cooperation programmes?

Supplementary answer given by Mr Van den Broek on behalf of the Commission (30 July 1997)

The Commission has had no confirmation of the facts reported by the Honourable Member as the Ukrainian authorities have not replied to its démarche of 12 February this year and the case mentioned in the question could not be investigated on the spot.

However, information available to the Commission from Ukrainian and foreign NGOs indicates that certain medical practices are carried out in a relative absence of rules and ethical controls. References to concrete examples reported by the NGOs are being communicated direct to the Honourable Member and to Parliament's Secretariat. These examples refer notably to experiments involving transplants of nerve cells from human embryos resulting from abortions with the aim of treating nerve paralysis, the ageing of cells in the human brain and Alzheimer's disease.

The Commission is prepared to use its contacts with the Ukrainian authorities to clarify the situation.

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