PM will publicly back California's research into disease treatment despite White House's strong opposition
Gaby Hinsliff in San Francisco
Sunday July 30, 2006
The Observer
Britain is the world leader in stem cell research.
Tony Blair is to use his trip to America to back stem cell research despite sharp opposition from President George Bush. The Prime Minister will give his support to scientific research into the treatment of incurable diseases, which has been blocked by Bush [[Bush likes TAKING lives, not SAVING them]].
The President objects on moral grounds to the technique, which involves harvesting human stem cells, the most basic building blocks of life. These are then stimulated to grow replica human tissue, which could ultimately be used for transplants or the treatment of diseases like cancer and Alzheimer's.
Pro-life and religious groups oppose stem cell research because one source of the cells is human embryos created during fertility treatment and subsequently destroyed. Bush vetoed federal funding for embryonic stem cell research five years ago, driving some US scientists to Britain to continue their work, but the state of California - where Blair will deliver a speech tomorrow - has legislated to fund research locally.
The Prime Minister will meet 10 bioscience companies in the San Francisco area and unveil plans for a joint UK-Californian conference on stem cell technology in Britain in November.
Announcing the conference in America will be seen as a bold contradiction of Bush's views, less than two weeks after the President personally vetoed another bill passed by the Senate that would have allowed federal funding for the research, saying it crossed a 'moral boundary'.
However, a Downing Street spokesman insisted there was no conflict, adding: 'George Bush has his own approach [to stem cells], we have our own, and California has its own.'
Blair's attempt to boost the profile of British researchers was in danger of backfiring last night, however, after Downing Street, apparently mistakenly, published private criticism of one of the flagship bodies he is promoting.
Among the 'strengths' of British research listed in a briefing pack handed to journalists was the UK Stem Cell Foundation, set up last year to help turn lab work into medical treatments. Unfortunately, a junior official had failed to remove before publication a note, apparently added for Downing Street consumption, that 'the UKSCF hasn't done much since its establishment'.
It then referred helpfully to further material on 'the difficulties of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine'. The institute is among the US organisations Blair is meeting tomorrow.
dailymail.co.uk
Gaby Hinsliff in San Francisco
Sunday July 30, 2006
The Observer
Britain is the world leader in stem cell research.
Tony Blair is to use his trip to America to back stem cell research despite sharp opposition from President George Bush. The Prime Minister will give his support to scientific research into the treatment of incurable diseases, which has been blocked by Bush [[Bush likes TAKING lives, not SAVING them]].
The President objects on moral grounds to the technique, which involves harvesting human stem cells, the most basic building blocks of life. These are then stimulated to grow replica human tissue, which could ultimately be used for transplants or the treatment of diseases like cancer and Alzheimer's.
Pro-life and religious groups oppose stem cell research because one source of the cells is human embryos created during fertility treatment and subsequently destroyed. Bush vetoed federal funding for embryonic stem cell research five years ago, driving some US scientists to Britain to continue their work, but the state of California - where Blair will deliver a speech tomorrow - has legislated to fund research locally.
The Prime Minister will meet 10 bioscience companies in the San Francisco area and unveil plans for a joint UK-Californian conference on stem cell technology in Britain in November.
Announcing the conference in America will be seen as a bold contradiction of Bush's views, less than two weeks after the President personally vetoed another bill passed by the Senate that would have allowed federal funding for the research, saying it crossed a 'moral boundary'.
However, a Downing Street spokesman insisted there was no conflict, adding: 'George Bush has his own approach [to stem cells], we have our own, and California has its own.'
Blair's attempt to boost the profile of British researchers was in danger of backfiring last night, however, after Downing Street, apparently mistakenly, published private criticism of one of the flagship bodies he is promoting.
Among the 'strengths' of British research listed in a briefing pack handed to journalists was the UK Stem Cell Foundation, set up last year to help turn lab work into medical treatments. Unfortunately, a junior official had failed to remove before publication a note, apparently added for Downing Street consumption, that 'the UKSCF hasn't done much since its establishment'.
It then referred helpfully to further material on 'the difficulties of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine'. The institute is among the US organisations Blair is meeting tomorrow.
dailymail.co.uk
