Ethical Aspects of Research Involving the use of Human Embryo in the Context of the 5th Frame Work programme [Opinion of the European Group on Ethics in Science and New Technologies the European Commission]

Abstract

Having regard to the request for an Opinion by the European Commission of 11 September 1998 on amendment N°36 tabled by the European Parliament which proposes to exclude from Community funding research projects that “result in the destruction of human embryos", in the context of deciding on the 5th Framework Programme, The first baby to be conceived by In Vitro fertilisation (IVF) outside the mother’s body was not born until 1978 in the UK, research on human gametes and embryos donated by infertile couples had been carried out for the previous 10 years. During this period there were no specific regulations concerning human embryo research.