Stem-cell research policy 'can't be dictated by religiousviews'

POLICY on humanembryonic stem-cell research will not be dictated by religious views, butSingapore's Bioethics Advisory

Committee (BAC) will take such feedback into considerationwhen it makes its recommendations.

Its chairman,Professor Lim Pin, said yesterday: 'We've got to be pragmatic at the end of theday as we've got to come to

a position where we can move ahead. And move ahead we must,because Singapore is a small country.'

However,because of the diversity in views between and within religious groups, peoplewill be able to choose whether they

wanted to have anything to do with such research, he said.

'We shouldallow anyone with a strong moral unease to have the right not to get involved.'

The BAC's HumanStem Cell Research Sub-committee is looking at the ethical, legal and socialissues associated with using

human stem cells in biomedical research, as well as therelated issues of human reproductive and human therapeutic cloning.

Committeemembers spoke to representatives from various religious groups at a dialoguesession yesterday. p> Embryonic

stem cells are master cells which can turn into any cell inthe body. Researchers hope they may be used one day to cure a

range of diseases. But extracting the cells also kills theembryo.

In itsconsultation paper released last month, the BAC said it accepts that it isjustified to use early embryos, not more

than 14 days old, for serious research which may benefitothers.

Such embryoscannot feel pain because their nervous systems have not started to grow, itsaid.

While Buddhistand Muslim groups came out in favour of such research, representatives from theChristian groups at

yesterday's session were against such research because theyfeel that an embryo is a human person at the moment of

conception.

Representativesfrom the Hindu and Taoist groups have yet to make a firm decision on the issue.

Noting that ahuman embryo has only a 17-per-cent chance of becoming a live birth, Prof Limsaid:

'We will accordsome respect to the embryo, because we call it a potential human being, but wecannot equate it with a

fully-grown human being.'

He said thatthere will be several other dialogue sessions to get views from other groups,including doctors, scientists,

patients and teachers.

Thesub-committee head, Senior District Judge Richard Magnus, said that all theviews will be evaluated seriously before

the committee makes its final policy recommendations to theLife Sciences Ministerial Committee early next year.

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