Embryonic stem cell research - The case for ...

At the start of 2001 the, the UK became the first to approve the creation and use of embryos for stem cell research. In response to a report by the country's Chief Medical Officer, Parliament condoned the decision last December. Because of the nature of this legislation, approval was also needed by the House of Lords which was granted in January. Although on lookers may assume that scientists in Britain are fully behind the decision, the subject elicits as much controversy within the UK biomedical research community as elsewhere. The following two Commentary articles, written by experts working in the field of reproductive research in London, illustrate this disunity.