Stem cell review recommends no changes to current legislation

Stem cell researchers have welcomed the Federal Government review of stem cell regulation in Australia, tabled in parliament today, which recommends no changes to the current regulatory framework.

The Report of the Independent Review – also known as the Heerey committee after its chairman, The Honourable Peter Heerey QC – recommends that existing legislation remain in place, allowing researchers to use human embryos to create stem cells, but only in specifically licensed projects.

”Embryonic stem cell research remains an essential part of medical research and is well regulated in Australia,” said Dr Megan Munsie of the Australian Stem Cell Centre (ASCC).

“The current Australian legislation strikes the right balance in allowing valuable research to occur whilst providing clear safeguards to address concerns held by the wider community.”

Since 2002, Australian scientists have been permitted to use donated in vitro fertilization (IVF) embryos in research if they’re afforded a license by the National Health and Medical Research Council.

However, the attempt to create human clones is strictly prohibited by the Prohibition of Human Cloning Act 2002.

Australia’s legislation governing the creation and use of stem cells is one of the strictest in the world, said Professor Martin Pera, Chair of Stem Cell Sciences at the University of Melbourne.

“Similar to the situation in California, where I have worked for the past five years, the level of ethical and practical scrutiny is very high in Australia. Every experiment has to be justified to a Research Ethics Committee. No embryos are used in research unless there is a strong scientific rationale to justify such use.”

The current legislation is similar to that in place in many other countries around the world, such as United Kingdom, Sweden, Singapore, Spain and the U.S. states of California, New York, Massachusetts and Connecticut, and allows Australian researchers to collaborate and keep pace with developments overseas, said Australian Academy of Science Secretary for Science Policy Professor Bob Williamson.

“This allows researchers to carry out similar experiments to those being conducted by their American and European collaborators,” he said. “Keeping our laws as recommended will allow Australia to carry out medical research that is both ethical and world class.”

One provision that wasn’t changed was the prohibition on using genetic material from three individuals in the production of new stem cells.

This technique is required for research into mitochondrial disorders, such as the transplantation of new mitochondria into an embryonic stem cell created through somatic cell nuclear transfer.

As this would require three donors – the egg, the somatic cell nucleus and the mitochondria – it remains banned, forcing Australian researchers in the field to conduct their work overseas.

More information about the review can be found at the site for the 2010 Legislation Review of the Prohibition of Human Cloning for Reproduction Act 2002 and Research Involving Human Embryos Act 2002.