Related: EU agrees to fund stem-cell research
BEIJING, July 25 (Xinhuanet)-- EU warned Washington that it is risking a brain drain, in which its "disillusioned" scientists would flock across the Atlantic to make most of Europe's more liberal rules.
The warning came after EU ministers reached a "historic" deal on Monday on human embryonic stem cells.
The deal came just days after U.S. President George W. Bush vetoed an expansion of such work in the United States.
Lord Sainsbury, Britain's science minister, said: "There are a group of American scientists who are very disillusioned. In this field we have seen U.S. scientists coming to the UK."
"If the U.S. continues to take this very negative position I think within this field of regenerative medicine we will see scientists come from America and from other parts of the world, who would have gone to America, to the UK instead."
After a passionate debate, EU ministers permit limited use of EU funds for research involving human embryonic stem cells provided it does not entail destroying embryos.
Germany had led a coalition of eight countries that sought to bar any European public funding for human stem-cell research.
Germany dropped its objections after winning an assurance from the European Commission that no EU money would be spent on the destruction of human embryos
Human embryos have to be destroyed to allow the harvesting of embryonic stem cells. The EU rules mean that this part of the process will have to be funded from outside the EU budget.
The deal paved the way for the adoption of the 25-nation bloc's 55.6-billion-euro (70.16 billion dollars) seven-year science programme aimed at narrowing the research gap with the United States and spurring economic growth.
Stem cells can turn themselves into any other type of cell in the body, and can be taken from embryos or adults to develop drugs or repair parts of the body.
Supporters of stem-cell research believe it is vital in the battle to find cures for diseases such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. Enditem
(Agencies)
