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Lord Sainsbury of TurvilleStem Cells: Propects for Research and Therapy |
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Thank you, Sir George. I am delighted to be here today and to welcome you all to this important event - a valuable initiative to improve health on what is otherwise a grim and sad anniversary. Opportunities and Challenges - Research and Health Stem cells are an exciting and promising field of contemporary research. Adult cells have been used successfully for some time, most notably in bone marrow transplants for leukaemia. But only in the past five years or so have human embryonic stem cells been successfully isolated and cultured, and cell nuclear-transfer technology pioneered. Only in the same period have we begun to realise that cell reprogramming might be more than a curiosity. And only now have we begun to learn more about the apparent plasticity of various kinds of stem and precursor cells. The rate of progress is astonishing, and UK scientists are making crucial contributions. Great as the progress has been, so are the challenges still facing the science. We are some way from understanding or controlling the processes whereby cells differentiate - the genes, signal pathways, and other factors that promote or inhibit cell development. Part of the excitement is the scale - but also feasibility - of the task. The excitement also stems from the potential applications. Just to take one figure. Mental health and neuro-degenerative disease cost the UK around £6.6 billion a year. Developments in transplantation biology have raised expectations for the treatment of degenerative diseases, yet the supply of tissues has not kept pace with demand and immuno-suppression remains a problem. An ageing population is likely to increase the severity of all these problems. Against this background, stem cell research now opens up the possibility of repairing tissues damaged or destroyed by a range of devastating conditions - Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, chronic heart and kidney disease, liver failure, cancer, and spinal cord injury or severe burns, to name a few. Research underpinning the generation of stem cell-based therapies may give new insights into immunology, transplantation, and the delivery of genes to specific tissues in the body. Stem cell research will also be important in continuing to shed light on developmental biology. It will enable us to address fundamental questions about developmental processes, the causes of and remedies for birth defects, and insights into the control and treatment of cancer. Stem cells could also be used to investigate environmental toxins and the relationship between environmental agents and human disease. They may provide tools for testing drugs. Studies of this type could lead to fewer, less costly and better-designed clinical trials, and reduce the use of animal testing. The opportunities are therefore huge, and some may be realisable in the relatively short term whilst others may take much longer. Patient interest in the potential of stem cell therapy is naturally intense, and will be important in maintaining momentum. I warmly welcome patient participation today. Opportunities and Challenges - Exploitation and Regulation But if we are to realise the full potential of stem cell research, there are at least two other broad areas of activity we must focus on. One is the route by which we apply or exploit the technology. Historically, commercialisation has been a successful as well as profitable route for new drugs and therapies. We have a strong pharmaceutical sector in the UK, and a growing number of biotechnology companies, some active in stem cell research. I am encouraged by how many companies are participating in this conference. At the same time, advances in stem cell research and its applications must plainly carry public confidence. Much of what is involved may entail no new ethical or procedural issues, but we must ensure that there is appropriate debate and consultation, and that best practice is followed. Role of Government The role of Government in all of this seems to me very clear. Our task is to help create a climate in which stem cell research and its applications can flourish. We have made clear the importance we attach to research in promoting prosperity and the quality of life. Building on earlier increases, this year's Spending Review will boost the Science Budget still further by some 10 per cent per annum in real terms, and the Research Councils will receive an extra £300 million by 2005-06 to maintain growth in the volume of science. Stem cell research will be among the priorities under consideration, but we must not forget that much research is now multidisciplinary, and advances in stem cell research may depend on, say, improved microarray or imaging technology. Infrastructure is critically important too. Again building on earlier investment, this summer's Spending Review has created a dedicated stream of capital funding for university research worth £500 million a year by 2004-05. The Review also provides an extra £100m a year to enhance stipends and salaries for young researchers, and £170m to support knowledge transfer from universities and institutes. At the same time, we are extending tax incentives from smaller technology-based firms to encompass all UK-based business R&D. As a result, the Government will be investing effectively some £500 million a year across British industry. We are also working to safeguard access to the 2 billion Euros available for life sciences under the European Union's Sixth Framework Programme. Although Member States naturally have different views about stem cell research, I believe that we will secure a satisfactory outcome, and that research on banked and isolated stem cells in culture will be fundable through the programme. In addition to funding, Government has the responsibility of providing an appropriate regulatory climate for stem cell research. I believe we have achieved this. New regulations relating to the use of human embryos in research were passed earlier this year, following extensive consultation. Parliament played a full and constructive role through debates and a subsequent House of Lords Select Committee inquiry. Sir John Pattison will be saying more about these important developments very shortly. The role of MRC and others - towards a national strategy I am pleased at the same time that the Medical Research Council is working towards a national strategy for stem cell research in partnership with the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences and Economic and Social Research Councils, the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority, the Medicines Control and Medical Devices Agencies, research charities, clinicians, ethicists, industry and others. I congratulate all of those involved on progress and look forward to hearing more from Sir George Radda's presentation. I am particularly pleased to announce today a cadre of 12 new career development fellowships, which will be funded through a partnership between the Alzheimer's Society, BBSRC, Diabetes UK, MRC, the Parkinson's Disease Society, and the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation of America. This development demonstrates very clearly the commitment these agencies have to work together to build UK critical mass in this exciting new field. The National Stem Cell Bank Recent effort has rightly also concentrated on establishing a national stem cell bank. I welcome the MRC's announcement that the National Institute for Biological Standards and Control will be hosting the bank, and that it will be jointly funded by the MRC and BBSRC. The NIBSC, which has an internationally recognised reputation for the development of biological standards, is well placed to do this important task. The concept of the bank is one that Government has firmly endorsed, as has the House of Lords Select Committee on Science and Technology. I see its purpose as essentially two-fold. One is to secure a key facility for research. The generation and quality control of a supply of stem cell lines is absolutely vital. But equally important is the controlled and ethical use of stem cells, and particularly embryonic cells. The bank should help reduce the need to use embryos to generate cells, but I also welcome the establishment of a Stem Cell Bank Steering Committee to oversee the bank's operation, develop a code of practice for banked stem cell lines, and regulate the use of embryonic stem cells. Much has already been achieved to strengthen the UK's international position in stem cell research, and to realise its potential benefits, and I see this conference as a contribution to the process. I am glad to see a prominent role for young researchers, and I am grateful for the participation of patient groups in the audience and the patient perspective being delivered by Christopher Reeve. I particularly welcome the opportunity that the meeting will provide to develop networks. I endorse the attention paid to ethical and social issues and the role of the ESRC. In May the Prime Minister delivered a major speech on science at the Royal Society. He highlighted the importance of stem cell research because he believes it has the potential in time to deliver major benefits for patients. There is a long way to go to deliver those benefits but the setting up of the Stem Cell Bank and today's conference are important steps towards achieving what are likely to be major improvements in healthcare. |
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Other speeches by Lord Sainsbury of Turville
(the following are available from the archive) |
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