Not the last word on the BSE crisis

Article Abstract:

There are still many unanswered political questions relating to the handling of the bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) crisis in the UK, even though it now seems definite that the same agent is responsible for BSE in cattle and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in humans. In particular, it remains uncertain whether the government achieved the most appropriate balance between protecting the beef industry and warning consumers about the possible dangers of BSE. The BSE crisis raises wider questions about how to establish public trust in the government's handling of scientific issues.

Health aspects, Prevention, Bovine spongiform encephalopathy, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease

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Towards the acceptance of embryo stem-cell therapies: A quick legislative fix to the question of the use of federal funds for research with human embryo stem cells has been rightly resisted

Article Abstract:

The successful culture of pluripotent stem cells from human embryos has wide medical implications for the treatment of diseases, but scientists have been frustrated by the ban on research using human embryos. However legal experts in the Department of Health and Human Services feel that the ban does not strictly apply to research with embryo stem cells. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is drawing up firm guidelines to take into account the concerns of critics of the research.

Ethical aspects, Stem cells, Stem cell transplantation, Embryology, Human, Human embryology

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Rebuild research now: the temptation to cut back on research in the current financial crisis should be resisted

Article Abstract:

The British government should not try to ease its financial difficulties by reducing expenditures on research. The government's support for academic and non-academic research projects is already far below the level maintained by comparable European governments. Moreover, cutting back on research spending would endanger the continued emergence of young people with economically valuable skill in scientific technique that is the chief long-term benefit of support for research.

Editorial

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