THE Royal Society has called on Britain鈥檚 Department of Health to set
up a national body to license research on techniques of gene therapy. The
body should consist of scientists and lay people. Anthony Epstein, the society鈥檚
vice-president, said people were confused and concerned about gene therapy,
the insertion of genetic material into the cells of the body to treat disease.
The technique is not yet established, but researchers in the US have already
begun experimenting with it.
The Royal Society鈥檚 proposal is one of many being considered by the
government鈥檚 Committee on the Ethics of Gene Therapy, which was set up last
November and hopes to make recommendations by the end of the year.