Consider cutting funding for stem cell research

Ministers of 25 European countries are meeting in Brussels to consider whether to cut funding for stem cell research.

  Picture 1 of Consider cutting funding for stem cell research

Scientists say stem cell research can help cure serious diseases (Photo: AP)

Across the European Union, different countries often have different laws and attitudes towards stem cell research. The United Kingdom actively encourages this field and allows scientists to experiment on embryos.

Some countries, led by Germany, oppose any stem cell research that involves embryo destruction.

Germany, where memories of the Nazi regime's experiments during the Second World War are still bold, oppose this study, and they want to ensure that European leaders must stop funding.

The European Parliament last month voted in a tight way to allow continued funding for stem cell research.

However, when the decision came before ministers in the Council of Europe on Monday, scientists feared that some countries would find ways to stop it.

Germany, Poland and Austria are known to be very conservative about funding scientific research and stem cell medicine related to human embryos. Their argument is that stem cell removal leads to embryo destruction and the EU should not spend money on this.

But the scientists in the UK wrote on the Council of the European Union that blocking funding would be a blow to patients all over the world - those who now only hope is sacrifice. Stem cells will help develop treatments for diseases such as Alzheimer's dementia or Parkinson's paralysis