Developing stem cell applications: What role for the private sector?
Event: Public eventStart date: 27 May 2008 18:00
Organised by: The University of Edinburgh ‘Talking About Stem Cells’ project team
Venue: The Board Room, Paterson’s Land, Moray House, St Johns Street, Edinburgh EH8 8AQ
An opportunity to learn about and reflect on issues raised by the commercial development of stem cell research … in two paired events:
During the first phase of the project, many of the groups we spoke to raised questions and concerns about the role of commercial interests in shaping the development of new applications from stem cell research. Some were sceptical about the impact of a ‘profit motive’ in relation to health applications and the wider public good. At the same time, some working in stem cell research pointed out that, because the field is so speculative, the costs of developing new technologies cannot be borne solely by the public purse: private sector players are needed in order to progress promising avenues. Yet even these ‘stakeholders’ voiced concerns – for example, about the appropriate boundaries between public and private sector funding, or about the ‘ownership’ of stem cell lines.
We have designed these paired events to bring together people actually working on commercial applications of stem cell research with any interested members of the public – including but not only people from patients groups – to discuss constructively any issues arising. We hope you will be interested in participating.
These events offer you a unique opportunity to:
- learn more about the complex processes by which new technologies are being developed from stem cell research
- question and discuss constructively any issues that might worry you about the role of commercial interests in developing stem cell applications
- learn about what issues worry other people, be they ‘stakeholders’ or wider publics
- and possibly, come up with suggestions to address some of these issues
Any conclusions of these discussions will be made available to the wider stem cell ‘community’ and relevant policy makers as part of our final research report.
The first event will be held on the evening of Tuesday 6 May. It has been designed to find out about the different routes by which various organisations are trying to develop new technologies from stem cell research, and to air your views on any issues which might concern you. There will also be an opportunity to decide which issues you would like to discuss in more depth in the second event. It will be held on the evening of Tuesday 27 May. We will have invited a number of major players in the field to be available to respond to your questions and concerns, but we hope the format of this event will be quite participant-led.
Further details: If you are interested in taking part in these events, please let us know – preferably by Monday 28 April – by contacting Lisa Wood (lwood2@staffmail.ed.ac.uk or 0131 650 2451). Places at this event are limited, so please register promptly. You will then be sent an information pack. Ideally we would like the same people to come to both events, so that the discussion in the second event builds on the first. However, if you are keen to participate but cannot make one or other of these dates, please let us know.
The venue is wheelechair accessible and there is street parking nearby. Posters giving directions will also be put up on the evening. A light buffet and refreshments will be provided.
For further information see: www.talkingstemcells.ed.ac.uk
Download the event poster: Developing stem cell applications: What role for the private sector?
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