STEM CELL RESEARCH LEGISLATION

Stem Cell Research Legislation

Stem Cell Research Legislation

In this study we try to explore the concept of “Stem Cell Research” in a holistic context. The main focus of the research is on “Stem Cell Research” and its relation with “legislation”. The research also analyzes many aspects of “Stem Cell Research” and tries to gauge its effect on “legislation”. Finally the research describes various factors which are responsible for “Stem Cell Research” and tries to describe the overall effect of “Stem Cell Research” on “Stem Cell Research”.

Legal Background

In 1978 the birth of Louise Brown - the world's first 'test-tube baby' - in Oldham prompted a debate on this new technology. Because in-vitro fertilization (IVF) involved creating human embryos outside the body, the debate considered what to do with any 'spare' embryos and whether it was morally acceptable to allow research on human embryos. This led to the setting up of a UK framework for regulating research on human embryos: The Warnock Committee (1982-84) recommended research on human embryos should be allowed (subject to controls) up to 14 days after fertilization. The Human Fertilization and Embryology (HFE) Act 1990, which set up a statutory body (HFE Authority-HFEA) to regulate research on human embryos. It allowed embryo research up to 14 days for five specified purposes concerned with increasing knowledge about embryo creation and development. Three further purposes were introduced by the HFE (Research Purposes) Regulations in January 2001, to allow research for therapeutic purposes. A judicial review was sought by the ProLife Alliance in November 2001 to clarify the scope of the HFE Act. Among the main features of this legal challenge were:

What constitutes an embryo? The Act defines an embryo in terms of fertilization ("a live human embryo where fertilization is complete"). But new techniques (cell nuclear replacement) can create cells that behave like embryos without using fertilization. The High Court ruled that such cells were not regulated by the Act because their creation did not involve fertilization, leading to fears that the Act could not be used to prevent human reproductive cloning. This decision was overturned in the Appeal Court, following a government appeal in January 2002. The Court ruled that a cell created by nuclear replacement is an embryo and thus falls within the HFE Act 1990. In response to the original High Court ruling, the government introduced the Human Reproductive Cloning Act 2001 to ban reproductive cloning by prohibiting "the placing in a woman of a human embryo … created otherwise than by fertilization".

Immune Rejection And Other Limitations

Each cell in the body carries a unique 'signature' that marks the cell as belonging to an individual.

Transplanted organs or grafts will not carry this signature; will be regarded as 'foreign' and attacked by the body's immune system, causing rejection. Strategies for minimizing immune rejection include the use of drugs to suppress the immune system, and 'matching' donated tissue to patients. Stem cell therapies offer a number of potential ways round the problem of immune ...