[extropy-chat] Funding situation for stem cell research in the EU

[Amara Graps]

Damien Broderick:
>< European Commissioner for Science and Research Janez Potocnik said
>the EU would not finance the "procurement" of embryonic stem cells -
>a process which results in the death of the embryo - but it would
>finance the "subsequent steps" to make use of the cells. >

>You can have any omelette you like as long as you don't break any
>eggs making it?

I would need to read the documentation in more detail

(there is a page giving more details here:
http://www.eurostemcell.org/AboutUs/about_press_fp7.htm  )

however my interpretation is that stem cells that result from IVF or
similar where the embryos were already being discarded is OK, and stem
cell research could be funded using those. I'm not sure if they would
initially 'pay' for making the embryonic stem cells though. My guess
is that that line  in the law above is designed to take out business
motivations for creating embryonic stem cells.

Amara