The Lockhart review: what people think

The recommendations from the independent stem cell legislation review committee chaired by former Federal Court judge John Lockhart have been welcomed by many of Australia's stem cell research scientists as well as biotechnology and patient advocacy groups.

"We welcome the recommendations and we also recognise the quality of the report and the excellent job the committee has done in consulting broadly and taking into account a whole range of views both for and against aspects of embryonic stem cell research," said Australian Stem Cell Centre CEO Hugh Niall.

"We think the Lockhart committee has done an excellent job in consultation and balancing the views of different parties in society and the recommendations that they've come out with will be helpful to stem cell scientists in Australia, they're going to help if they're accepted by parliament and become legislation which is the step yet to be taken."

Niall said he hoped there would be a "mature consideration by all parliamentarians as the process goes forward to see what legislation may emerge from it."

"We think that [the Lockhart committee's report is] a very extensive and thorough document and we are particularly impressed by the logic behind the recommendations that they've actually been able to provide a lot of information about how they've reached the recommendations which will I think help a lot of people understand their position," said Stem Cell Sciences business development manager Megan Munsie.

"The Lockhart committee report should be welcomed by every Australian with a commitment to medical research," said Prof Bob Williamson, chair of the Australian Academy of Science's National Committee for Medicine.

"The recommendations will bring Australia into line with the United Kingdom and the USA. We will be able to develop cellular models for common conditions such as diabetes and Alzheimer's disease using somatic cell nuclear transfer, something that is already being achieved in other countries. Because there will be an Australian Stem Cell Bank, we can ensure that the minimum number of embryos are used under strict conditions."

Williamson was also pleased that the committee recommended that these new and exciting experimental approaches would only be permitted in the context of a strict prohibition on cloning for reproduction.

"The community wants this guarantee that advanced medical research meets the highest ethical standards. Now that the debate is concluded, I hope that the government adopts this carefully thought out set of recommendations without further delay," he said.

"This is a progressive set of recommendations that I would encourage federal parliament to adopt," said Prof Bernie Tuch, director of the Diabetes Transplant Unit at the Prince of Wales Hospital in Sydney. "It will keep Australia up with the rest of the world and allow us to keep our best and brightest."

Tuch disagreed with the committee's recommendation relating to the definition of an embryo. "I suggest the definition of a human embryo be only up to three weeks of development, which is the time at which the early stages of all cell lineages begin," he said.

"The Lockhart Review provides a very positive, sound and ethical basis for revision of the existing legislation on cloning and embryonic research," said the Australian Stem Cell Centre's Prof Martin Pera. "Its recommendations, if enacted will enable Australian scientists to continue to play a leading role in stem cell research and regenerative medicine. These recommendations will also enable Australia to provide a model for ethical conduct of such research."

Pera's ASCC colleague, Prof Alan Trounson, said he believed the recommendations in the Lockhart review would be strongly endorsed by the Australian medical research community. "The committee was very balanced and they have done a very good job of identifying the issues. The ethical issues have been well thought through and the continued prohibition of reproductive cloning should allay the fears of many," he said.

AusBiotech CEO Dr Anna Lavelle called on the Council of Australian Governments to support SCNT, and said AusBiotech would actively lobby state and Commonwealth governments to do so. "We would then ask that in keeping with the recommendations of the independent Lockhart Review, there is bipartisan support for appropriately amended legislation when it comes before the parliament," she said.

Patient advocacy group Coalition for the Advancement of Medical Research Australia (CAMRA) welcomed the Lockhart Review's recommendations on stem cell research in Australia. "We particularly welcome the recommendation of the lifting of the ban on therapeutic cloning or SCNT," said spokeswoman Joanna Knott. ''This will bring us in line with many other countries, including the UK, Singapore, South Korea, and Japan''.