Catholic Spain authorises stem cell research

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Spain’s Socialist government authorised research with embryonic stem cells on Friday, the latest in a string of laws set to rile the Catholic church.

Spain’s previous right-wing, pro-church Popular Party government passed a law last year to allow stem cell research on embryos but only under numerous conditions. It never took the necessary steps to put the law into effect.

But the new government stripped out some of the conditions and issued guidelines on Friday so that scientists can start their work.

The move came despite opposition from the Vatican. Ninety percent of Spain’s population calls themselves Catholic but liberal views increasingly coexist with traditional Catholic values.

“It is not ethical to place obstacles and difficulties in the way of scientists who are using their talent and knowledge to improve our capacity to treat illness,” Deputy Prime Minister Maria Teresa Fernandez de la Vega told a news conference.

Stem cells are master cells that have the potential to grow into any human cell or tissue. Scientists say stem cell research could yield cures for Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases.

Research in Spain will only be allowed on embryos that have already been created for fertility treatments and then frozen when they were not needed.

However, Friday’s ruling also loosened the previous government’s restrictions on the number of embryos that can be created for fertility treatment.

“This is excellent news for researchers of course ... (and also) for parents who at the moment have embryos conserved in a fertility clinic and cannot find a purpose that could be socially useful for them, that could help other people,” Health Minister Elena Salgado said. “Now they have that chance.”

The new rules on stem cell research follow other liberal measures from the Socialist government, in power since a general election in March, that have angered the church.

The government has legalised gay marriage, made divorce easier and quicker to obtain, and plans to change abortion rules.

The European Union is divided over stem cell research with Catholic states Italy, Ireland and Austria saying it is unethical and countries including Britain supporting it. 

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