Sunday, October 22, 2006
Science Center Event tomorrow-
I’m going to a great event tomorrow at the Science Center here in Philadelphia.
While preparing to meet the speakers, I have come across a lot of information about the atmosphere of research in Scotland and I’m very impressed. For starters, they have something called the Human Fertilization and Embryology Authority which governs in vitro fertilization clinics, and grants licenses to researchers to perform certain types of embryonic experiments or cloning. It seems that instead of passing prohibitve laws, Scotland has decided to tap into the possibility of stem cells cautiously. A thoughtful solution to a complicated problem.
I also hear a lot about educating the public, which is, of course, crucial for the study of stem cells. I’ve been wondering a lot lately whether accurrate press about stem cell research makes a difference. It seems to me that different countries have adopted policies that are in synch with the general mores of the country. In other words, the US is extremely conservative, hence the federal government is not supporting the work. However, many european countries with more liberal governments (Sweden, Scotland, etc)- are permissive-
So would better press and better education of the public really make a difference?
While preparing to meet the speakers, I have come across a lot of information about the atmosphere of research in Scotland and I’m very impressed. For starters, they have something called the Human Fertilization and Embryology Authority which governs in vitro fertilization clinics, and grants licenses to researchers to perform certain types of embryonic experiments or cloning. It seems that instead of passing prohibitve laws, Scotland has decided to tap into the possibility of stem cells cautiously. A thoughtful solution to a complicated problem.
I also hear a lot about educating the public, which is, of course, crucial for the study of stem cells. I’ve been wondering a lot lately whether accurrate press about stem cell research makes a difference. It seems to me that different countries have adopted policies that are in synch with the general mores of the country. In other words, the US is extremely conservative, hence the federal government is not supporting the work. However, many european countries with more liberal governments (Sweden, Scotland, etc)- are permissive-
So would better press and better education of the public really make a difference?
# posted by Sarah : 7:41 PM
