X-Message-Number: 25177 From: "Mikhail Soloviev" <> Subject: [Swiss] Voters say yes to stem-cell research Date: Mon, 29 Nov 2004 14:04:12 +0100 Voters say yes to stem-cell research swissinfo November 29, 2004 The government has won strong backing for a law allowing stem- cell research on surplus human embryos, with two-thirds of Swiss voting in favour. In a nationwide poll on Sunday, voters also gave their support to two other government proposals: reform of the federal system, and a renewal of the federal authorities' mandate to levy taxes. The new law on stem-cell research won the backing of 66.4 per cent of Swiss voters. In French-speaking western Switzerland the percentage was even higher. Canton Geneva recorded the highest level of support at 84.5 per cent. The new legislation will permit research on stem cells from surplus human embryos under strict conditions. The production of stem cells will be limited to embryos not older than seven days. Therapeutic cloning and the trade in embryos will remain banned along with research on the embryos themselves. Parliament approved the law in 2003, but an alliance of religious and pro-life groups as well as leftwing opponents of gene technology challenged the legislation to a nationwide vote. The interior minister, Pascal Couchepin, said the clear yes was a vote of confidence for science. He said it showed people were able to take decisions on complex issues. Controversy The government, the four main political parties and the business community came out in favour of stem-cell research despite prominent dissenting voices. Opponents argued that the law overstepped ethical boundaries, while its supporters said it was crucial to ensuring that Switzerland s research community remained among the best in the world. Those in favour of stem-cell research pointed out its importance for finding medical cures. The Swiss stem-cell law falls between the liberal regulations in Britain and Austria s restrictive legislation. Three years ago Switzerland s National Science Foundation gave its approval for research on stem cells imported from abroad. <...> swissinfo _________________________________________________________________ Express yourself instantly with MSN Messenger! Download today it's FREE! http://messenger.msn.click-url.com/go/onm00200471ave/direct/01/ Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=25177