Quiz Health Minister and experts on stem cell research

Released: 08 July 2008

The meeting has been organised by Egenis, the Centre for Genomics in Society, to offer the public the chance to ask questions and to debate the issues. Health Minister and Exeter MP Ben Bradshaw will be one of the speakers at the ‘Question Time’-style event, which will begin at 7.30pm. The meeting will be chaired by Dame Suzi Leather, chair of the Charity Commission and former chair of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority.

 “The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill created a huge amount of public interest in this subject,” said Professor John Dupré, Director of Egenis. ”At Egenis we research the social impact of new genomic technologies, like the innovations in stem cell science. We are organising this meeting to enable the public to find out more about the new regulation proposed for those technologies, and to allow them to have their say.

 “The meeting will give our local MP the opportunity to explain to local people his own views, researchers from Egenis will give an overview, and members of the public will be able to question them all about the ethics and implications of this branch of science.

 “There has been a lot of coverage in the media but people may not have been able to get a very clear picture. This is an opportunity for them to find out more and to engage in open and informed debate.”

As well as Mr Bradshaw and Professor Dupré speakers at the event will include Dr Christine Hauskeller, Senior Research Fellow at Egenis, and Clinical Oncologist Dr Liz Toy.

 The meeting will start at 7.30pm in Exeter Guildhall.

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