Ride For Life: Embryos 'could be traded globally'

AUSTRALIA could become involved in a global trade in embryos and human eggs if federal parliament passes legislation allowing the destruction of embryos for stem-cell research, a US scientist has warned.

David Prentice, professor of Life Sciences at Indiana State University, told a forum in Brisbane yesterday there was a "real fear" such a global trade could develop.

The forum, billed as a debate but essentially a propaganda session opposing the use of human embryos in stem-cell research, was organised by National Party Senate leader Ron Boswell and state Labor MP Ronan Lee. Senator Boswell and his party leader Deputy Prime Minister John Anderson are staunch opponents of John Howard's bill on embryonic research.

The bill, which would allow the destruction of some human embryos, is expected to be debated in parliament next week. The Coalition and Labor have allowed their members a conscience vote.

Professor Prentice, a founding member of Do No Harm, a group opposed to the use of human embryos in stem-cell research, said the global trade he and like-minded scientists envisaged had been described by biochemist Erwin Chargaff as "a type of capitalistic cannibalism".

Professor Prentice said a growing number of countries were considering banning the creation of embryos for research. But countries that banned such research might then import embryos from nations that allowed it.

"So we could be looking at a global trade in terms of the embryos or in terms of human eggs as a commodity."

Professor Prentice said some countries had already outlawed any use of embryos. "Some have opened up to a certain stage the use (of embryos) and then there are many of us who are still debating that whole question."

Senator Boswell said some countries had loose legislation on stem-cell research.

"Many countries, particularly in Asia, have no rules on embryo research at all. "Those who think they can monitor Australian research have to realise that when these embryo products go offshore, there is no such thing as restricting the type of experimentation."