UNMODIFIED stem cells shouldn’t be patentable, says the bioethics think tank that advises the European Commission.
Stem cells, the undifferentiated cells that can give rise to all sorts of specialised tissues, are thought to have tremendous potential for treating a wide range of diseases. But there are fears that patents could hamper basic research and bump up the cost of any future treatments.
Now the European Group on Ethics in Science and New Technologies has said it favours creation of a Europe-wide bank of unmodified stem cells that would be freely available to all. If the European Patent Office (EPO)…
