Federal Government Partyroom Debate on Therapeutic Cloning/Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer Remains Unfinished. (August 16, 2006)

    The question of allowing the human embryonic stem cell research extended beyond the use of fertilised embryos otherwise destined for destruction yesterday was debated in the Coalition partyroom of the Federal government.

Researchers in the field of stem cell research have advanced a case that progress will be significantly hampered if the use of unfertilised ova and the possibility of analysing somatic cell nuclear transfer are precluded as is currently the case in Australia,

After what was reported to have been vigorous, but incomplete discussion, the Prime Minister John Howard promised Coalition parliamentarians another session next month.

According to The Age, Mr Howard has encouraged "MPs to organise forums with scientific experts to argue the merits of changing the current ban. One group of MPs is trying to organise a forum with Australia's chief scientist, Dr Jim Peacock, a supporter of therapeutic cloning."

On December 19, 2005 John Lockhart AO QC, a former Federal Court Judge, released the 284 page report of an independent review of Australia’s Prohibition of Human Cloning Act 2002 and the Research Involving Human Embryos Act 2002.

The six-member review committee received 1035 written submissions and heard personal presentations from 109 people across every State and Territory in Australia. The Committee also consulted with State and Territory Government representatives.

On presenting the report to the government Mr Lockhart said, “The Committee has concluded that, based on its wide consultations, there is a need
for an augmentation of the current system to allow research, within a rigorous ethical framework, into emerging scientific practices that will assist in the understanding of disease and disability.

“The Committee believes that it is important for Australia to maintain its role as a leader in the advancement of high quality and ethically sound scientific research and medical practices. To this end, we support the continued use of both adult and embryonic stem cells under existing guidelines for research and do not recommend that any additional legislative restrictions be applied.

“The Committee also acknowledged the importance of establishing a national stem cell bank in Australia, recommending that consideration be given to it being operated at the Australian Stem Cell Centre at Monash University in Melbourne.

“The Committee heard strong arguments for reform on experimental fertilisation techniques to improve assisted reproductive technology treatment, and we have recommended increased regulatory flexibility to facilitate research in this important field.

"On the contentious issue of Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer (SCNT), sometimes known as therapeutic cloning, the Committee has given its support for SCNT and the creation and the use in research of certain other types of experimental embryos in the very early stage of their development and under strict ethical and scientific regulation.

“The Committee agreed that the existing prohibitions in place to prevent reproductive cloning and the placement of prohibited embryos in the body of a woman should be maintained.”

Lockhart Committee members
 

The Hon John S Lockhart AO QC (Chair)
The Honourable John Lockhart is a highly regarded member of the international legal community. He was a Justice of the Federal Court of Australia from 1978 until 1999. He has been a member of the Appellate Body of the World Trade Organization, Geneva, Switzerland since 2002 and was appointed as the Deputy Chair of the International Legal Services Advisory Council in 2004. Mr Lockhart has highly relevant experience in chairing high level committees that deliberate on contentious issues.

Associate Professor Ian Kerridge (New South Wales)
Associate Professor Kerridge is a highly regarded clinical ethicist and specialist haematologist. He is Associate Professor in Bioethics and Director of the Centre for Values, Ethics and Law in Medicine at the University of Sydney and Staff Haematologist/Bone Marrow Transplant Physician at Westmead Hospital, Sydney. Associate Professor Kerridge has highly relevant skills and expertise demonstrated through his work and publications in the fields of health ethics.

Professor Barry Marshall (Western Australia)
Professor Marshall is Research Professor of Microbiology at the University of Western Australia and also brings generalist scientific expertise in addition to his abilities in community representation. He is a highly awarded scientist of international renown who is also a successful community advocate both in Australia and overseas. He is a specialist gastroenterologist who is noted for his discovery of the link between the bacteria Helicobacter pylori and gastric ulcers. Professor Marshall and a colleague won the 2005 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for this discovery.

Associate Professor Pamela McCombe (Queensland)
Associate Professor McCombe is a Consultant Neurologist and a Visiting Medical Officer at the Royal Brisbane Hospital and holds the position of Associate Professor, Department of Medicine at the University of Queensland. She is Chair of the Wesley Research Institute Research Committee and Chair of the Scientific Program Committee of the Australian Association of Neurologists.

Professor Peter Schofield (New South Wales)
Professor Schofield is a renowned neuroscientist. He is Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Prince of Wales Medical Research Institute, Senior Principal Research Fellow at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research and Conjoint Professor at the Faculty of Science and Faculty of Medicine at the University of New South Wales. Professor Schofield’s skills and expertise are in a highly relevant scientific discipline to the review subject matter.

Professor Loane Skene (Victoria)
Professor Skene is a renowned lawyer, ethicist and academic. She is Pro Vice-Chancellor, Professor of Law in the Law Faculty and an Adjunct Professor of Law in the Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences at the University of Melbourne. Professor Skene has highly relevant skills and expertise demonstrated through her work and publications in the fields of health law and ethics.

Australian Democrats senator Natasha Stott Despoja says she will initiate a parliamentary conscience vote on therapeutic stem cell research, if the Prime Minister does not.

 She is preparing a private member's bill with help from scientists, other political figures and interested parties. She said,

I take the Prime Minister at his word, that he will grant a conscience vote if there is legislation that comes to the Parliament. I am hoping that he will initiate, at a minimum, a debate on stem cell research and the Lockhart review's recommendations.  I would like him to initiate a legislative debate but if he doesn't, I will. I've spoken to members of the backbench of the Coalition, as well as the Labor party, and there are some surprising voices backing this campaign.