Support group welcomes stem cell Bill
December 06, 2006

THE House of Representatives vote lifting the ban on therapeutic cloning will keep hope alive for Australia's 1400 motor neurone disease (MND) sufferers, says a support group.

MND Australia said revoking the ban would now allow embryonic stem cell research that could increase the understanding of the cause of MND, help development of effective treatment and ultimately a cure.

Former Liberal health minister Kay Patterson's private member's Bill tonight passed the House of Representatives in a rare conscience vote.

The legislation will allow researchers to clone embryos using donor eggs and cells without sperm and extract their stem cells for medical research.

MND Australia chairperson Helen Sjardin-Howard said the organisation congratulated the MPs who tonight helped the bill pass through the Lower House.

“We will look forward now to increased possibilities for treatments and therapies that may come from stem cell research,” Ms Sjardin-Howard said.

“If stem cells do not prove to be the panacea for disease, and MND in particular, then they can be put aside and fresh directions can be taken in research.”

“MND Australia supported research which is legal, has sound scientific rationale and has the potential to bring us closer to finding a cause, treatment or cure for motor neurone disease,” she said.
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au...9-1702,00.html