March 28, 2024

What ordinary Germans feel about stem cells

A report to the German parliament by a “citizens’ conference” opposes research on embryos and all forms of cloning. The conference was meant to gauge how ordinary Germans feel about stem cells so that the Bundestag, the lower house, could draft appropriate legislation. After three weekends of background briefings and discussion, the 12 members of the conference unanimously backed adult stem cell research and treatments, but stil had reservations about work on embryonic stem cells, although they acknowledged their research potential.

Although half supported a careful relaxation of Germany’s ESC legislation, all of them opposed ESC research which created embryos. Ten of the twelve were opposed to all forms of cloning and eight believed that an embryo is human at conception.