Egenis researchers Dr Christine Hauskeller and Dr Susanne Weber travelled to Berlin in January to give expert evidence to the German Central Ethics Commission on Stem Cell Research (ZES) at the Robert Koch Institut.

They had been invited to present findings from their comparative research project ‘Stem Cell Research in Context,’ which studied the effects on stem cell science and its research practices of the different national policies in Germany and in the UK. The ZES is the national institution of ethical oversight for research with embryonic stem cells in Germany and all research projects involving embryonic stem cells must be approved by the ZES. Embryo research is strictly prohibited in Germany, therefore researchers are only allowed to import embryonic stem cell lines, and then only those generated before May 2007. The decision-making process and profile of the ZES concerning the importation of embryonic cells is comparable in regulatory status to HFEA decisions on licensing embryo research in the UK.