EU Ministers Prepare for Stem Cell Debate

European ministers were meeting this morning to decide whether to follow the lead of the United States and ban funding for research into human embryonic stem cells.

At today's European Council meeting, eight European Union states, including Germany, are expected to vote to halt continuing EU funding for stem cell research on surplus embryos from fertility treatment.

The move comes less than a week after the US president, George Bush, used his power of veto to scupper a controversial bill which would have lifted a ban on US federal funding for stem cell research.

Germany, with the support of Slovakia, Slovenia, Poland, Malta, Luxembourg, Austria and Lithuania, is hoping to muster the 90 votes needed to block support for the embryonic stem cell research from the European framework programme of funding.

Ahead of today's meeting Lord Rees, the president of the Royal Society, warned a funding boycott meant the EU would join the US in the "slow lane on stem cell research."

He said a ban would "hinder the global race to develop therapies which would benefit millions of people."

In a letter to the science minister, Lord Sainsbury, who will represent the UK at today's council meeting he wrote: "While a ban on the use of European framework support would not prevent national funding for this research, it would still deliver another big blow to the hopes of patients worldwide.

"It may also encourage researchers to look outside the EU to carry out important work on human embryonic stem cells."

Lord Rees is backed by David Spearman, the chairman of the European Academies Science Advisory Council, who has made a similar appeal.

Previously, the European parliament committee on industry, research and energy agreed that European funding should be allowed for embryonic stem cell research on embryos left over from fertility treatments in countries where it was permitted.

However no country within the EU was obliged to undertake or permit such research if it did not wish to.

Embryonic stem cells are unprogrammed "mother cells" taken from early stage embryos that can potentially develop into any tissue in body.