Call for monitoring of stem cell research

A specialist group formed to advise the European Commission on ethical issues has called for staged ethical assessments during EU-funded research on stem cells.

The European Group on Ethics in Science and New Technologies also advised that a specific European Union budget for research in this field should be created, and called for research results to be "widely disseminated."

The group said "the demand for spare embryos and oocyte donation should not increase the burden on women" undergoing fertility treatment.

Britain's member of the committee is Anne McLaren and Ireland's is Peter Whittaker.