Stem cell bill to be debated next week
A private members bill paving the way for stem cell research to go ahead in Australia looks set to pass the Senate, following the tabling of senate committee report this week. The bill, sponsored by former health minister Kay Patterson, would lift the ban on a cell cloning technique known as somatic cell transfer. To get technical this would enable scientists to inject adult genetic material into a human or animal egg, which has had its nucleus removed. This is done for the purpose of research into human illnesses and disease. While nothing is certain in the world of politics, supporters of the bill are claiming that they now have the numbers to pass the Senate, and if this happens passage through the House is expected to follow. The bill has been made possible because Prime Minister Howard decided that a conscience vote would be allowed on the legislation. Joanna Knott is from the Coalition of the Advancement of Medical Research In Australia, one of the groups supporting stem cell research, spoke live on the issue to The Wire.