University of Wollongong Liberal Club

MEDIA RELEASE

University of Wollongong LIBERAL CLUB

.Wednesday, 21 December 2005:

Need for Embryo Research and Anti-Cloning Reform

UNIVERSITY OF WOLLONGONG LIBERAL CLUB President Brad Winton believes as a PhD candidate in Bio-Medical Science that there is a strong need for the Government to enact the Lockhart committee recommendations that recommends reform into the use of therapeutic cloning and Nuclear transfer.

The Lockhart committee, which consisted of 6 specialists, made 54 recommendations covering this field of science. There were over 1000 written submissions, over 100 personal presentations and much consultation with different levels of government.

Governments support on developing a "proactive" licensing system would bring Australian legislation up to world's best practice and allow researchers to respond rapidly to advances, beyond, for instance, therapeutic cloning. Britain, South Korea, China, Singapore and non-government-funded US scientists already allow the use of somatic cell nuclear transfer or nuclear transfer.

"As both an interested party and someone with a science background," commented Brad Winton. "I welcome the Lockhart recommendations as a major contribution towards intelligent, rational and factual debate into research that could hold the key to developing cures for spinal cord injury and diseases such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's, dramatically improving quality of life for thousands of people within Australia."

"Nuclear transfer is not just for stem cell therapy," said Megan Munsie, scientific development manager with Stem Cell Sciences in Melbourne. "It's also an important technology for identifying new drug candidates for treating disease."

"By passing these recommendations into law," Brad Winton added, "The government would be providing both leadership and vision and will potentially prevent future generations of horrible debilitating diseases. Within 50 years, we could be fixing broken backs, preventing premature deaths and curing such deliberating diseases as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's."