Germany 'calls for Eu Ban' on Stem Cell Research

Germany is pushing for an EU ban on European funding for embryonic stem cell research, it was reported today, one day after George Bush vetoed a bill in the US to expand such research.

Reuters reported that it had seen a letter by the German research minister, Annette Schavan, to EU partners pressing for a ban.

A narrow majority in the European parliament voted last month to allow continued public funding for stem cell research but Germany is seeking to draw up support for an amendment which would force a second reading.

The letter comes before an EU meeting on science funding on Monday amid plans for stem-cell research to receive a small fraction of the EU science budget.

Ms Schavan reportedly wrote: "The European Union science programme should not be used to give financial incentives to kill embryos ... The current proposal from the European Commission and the European Parliament does not rule this out."

There is generally broad support across EU governments for maintaining the possibility of funding stem cell research, which supporters believe could lead to breakthroughs in treating diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.

The British government strongly supports stem cell research and UK scientists are among the leaders in that field.

However Germany is against genetic research, partially because of sensitivities about research carried out during the Nazi era. Germany is hoping to rally support against EU funding for the research, mainly from Roman Catholic countries such as Italy, Reuters said.

The main Christian churches oppose the research, arguing the use of the embryos destroys human life.

Poland, Austria, Slovakia, Luxembourg, Malta and Slovenia, have also expressed misgivings over funding stem cell research.

Reuters said a draft ministerial decision proposed by Finland, which holds the EU's rotating presidency, allows funding for research on human stem cells. The proposal would rule out EU funding for research on human reproductive cloning, genetic modification of human beings and artificial creation of human embryos solely for research purposes.

On Wednesday, the US president used his presidential veto for the first time to defeat a bill that would have greatly expanded government funding for stem cell research.

The Senate had passed the bill by 63 votes to 37 on Tuesday. Bill Frist, the Republican majority leader, said history would liken Mr Bush to those who had imprisoned Galileo and scoffed at the idea of electricity, and who look "absolutely ridiculous" today.

But Mr Bush said the law would support "the taking of innocent human life in the hope of finding medical benefits for others".

American public opinion broadly supports more funding for the research.