SWITZERLAND: VOTERS ENDORSE NEW LAW ALLOWING STEM CELL RESEARCH USING SURPLUS HUMAN EMBRYOS BUT BAN CLONING OF HUMAN EMBRYOS

Record ID: 328682

  • Title: SWITZERLAND: VOTERS ENDORSE NEW LAW ALLOWING STEM CELL RESEARCH USING SURPLUS HUMAN EMBRYOS BUT BAN CLONING OF HUMAN EMBRYOS
  • Date: 29th November 2004
  • Summary: (EU) GENEVA, SWITZERLAND (NOVEMBER 28, 2004) (REUTERS) 1. SCU MAN OPENING BALLOT BOX; MAN TAKING VOTES OUT OF BALLOT BOX; SCU ENVELOPES WITH VOTES BEING TAKEN OUT OF BALLOT BOX 0.14 2. SLV POLLING STATION; MV WOMAN COUNTING VOTES WITH A MACHINE; VOTING PLACE; CLOSE UP OF VOTES READING YES / NO 0.38 3. SLV EXTERIOR OF MAYOR'S RESIDENCE IN GENEVA 0.41 4. MV INTERIOR OF ROOM WHERE RESULTS ARE SHOWN; SCU SCREEN SHOWING RESULTS, READING67.2% 'YES' 0.58 5. (SOUNDBITE) (French) MEMBER OF THE SWISS NATIONAL COUNCIL AND GREEN PARTY VICE-PRESIDENT UELI LEUENBERGER, WHO CAMPAIGNED AGAINST THE NEW LAW, SAYING: "The result is clear. Two thirds of voters accepted this law. There were less people voting than usual and this is probably due to the fact that people had trouble expressing themselves on such a difficult issue. For us the debate on the ethics will continue, we now need a framework law in Switzerland on the research on human beings." 1.21 6. SCU SCREEN SHOWING A MAP OF SWITZERLAND AND HOW EACH CANTON VOTED 1.26 (U3) GENEVA, SWITZERLAND (NOVEMBER 28, 2004) (REUTERS) 7. SCU POSTERS IN FAVOUR OF THE REFERENDUM; SCU BALLOT BOX; SLV POLLING STATION; MV PEOPLE VOTING 2.07 8. (SOUNDBITE) (French) UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN SAYING: "I abstained because it's a big dilemma for me. I think it is a very important issue for science but sometimes science goes too far." 2.20 (U3) GENEVA, SWITZERLAND (NOVEMBER 23, 2004)(REUTERS) 9. CLOSE UP OF STEM CELL MOVING 2.35 10. SCU MARISA JACONI, FIRST SWISS RESEARCHER TO WORK WITH EMBRYONIC STEM CELL, WORKING IN HER LABORATORY; SLV LABORATORY; SCU RESEARCHER 2.55 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 14th December 2004 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
  • Country: Switzerland
  • Reuters ID: LVAEHE0SNU3TVVA0XUMJUGW2VW9F
  • Story Text: Swiss voters endorse a new law that allows stem
    cell research using surplus human embryos but
    bans cloning of human embryos.

    Swiss voters endorsed legislation limiting stem cell
    research in a referendum on Sunday (November 28, 2004). The new
    law forbids the cloning of human embryos and puts
    Switzerland on a par with some other continental European
    countries.

    But a majority of 66.4 percent of those voting approved
    measures that allow scientists to extract stem cells from
    unwanted embryos to use in research into diseases, as in
    the Netherlands and Spain.

    "The result is clear. Two thirds of voters accepted
    this law," said Ueli Leuenberger, member of the National
    Council and vice-president of the Green party, who
    campaigned against the new law.

    The rules, which were approved in one of the country's
    regular referendums, are not as liberal as those in Britain
    or Belgium, where cloning to extract cells is allowed.

    Supporters say stem cell research offers the chance to better
    understand conditions such as Parkinsons',
    Alzheimers' or diabetes and so come closer to developing
    treatments.

    Opponents, including Christian doctors and the Greens,
    want to ban research on human cells arguing that it
    involves taking human lives as the embryos are eventually
    destroyed.

    Some didn't know what they thought, but still made it
    out to vote.

    "I abstained because it's a big dilemma for me. I think
    it is a very important issue for science but sometimes
    science goes too far," said an unidentified woman after
    leaving the polling booth.

    Stem cells are master cells of the body which can
    develop into other cell types. Stem cells from embryos are
    more flexible than those found in adults and researchers
    hope to use them to generate replacement cells and tissues.

    In the U.S., lawmakers grapple with national
    legislation. In Europe, different EU countries have adopted
    differing laws, against which Switzerland's proposals
    appear relatively conservative.

    Supporters in Switzerland, home to drugmakers Novartis
    and Roche, said it would be a long time before stem cell
    techniques would be applied in pharmaceutical laboratories
    but said the industry would benefit indirectly as
    universities and research institutes pursue their work.


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