Moral rifts 'must not halt science'

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Moral rifts 'must not halt science'

Purely moral disagreements should not incite governments to interfere with the work of scientists, a panel of experts has said.

Purely moral disagreements should not incite governments to interfere with the work of scientists, a panel of experts has said.

The Hinxton Group, consisting of 40 international scientists, ethicists, and lawyers, made the recommendation in a report about the prospects for creating artificial sperm and eggs.

A number of groups around the world have already taken big steps towards the goal of producing human gametes - sperm and eggs - from stem cells.

The reproductive cells made in the laboratory could be used to for a number of medical purposes.

But the artificial creation of sperm and eggs also throws up major ethical issues.

The Hinxton Group made a key recommendation concerning the way policymakers handle scientific progress in controversial areas such as the creation of artificial gametes.

It said: "Societies have the authority to regulate science, and scientists have a responsibility to obey the law. However, policymakers should refrain from interfering with scientific inquiry unless there is a substantial justification for doing so that reaches beyond disagreements based solely on divergent moral convictions.

"Any interference with scientific inquiry should be derived from reasonable concerns about demonstrable risks of harm to persons, societal institutions or society as a whole."

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