"A judicious decision and a positive signal." With these words the Secretary General for the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Community (COMECE) commented on the decision released today by the Appeal Panel of the European Patent Office (EPO) prohibiting the patenting of human embryonic stem cells. "The patenting of embryonic stem cells is against the European patent law. This statement" by EPO "is a positive signal for the protection of human embryos." "Human stem cell cultures necessarily involves the destruction of human embryos, – COMECE said in a statement and cannot obtain a patent according to the European patent law. That is the decision reached by the Enlarged Board of Appeal on 25 November," rejecting the "Warf/Thomson" patent application, based on obtaining embryonic stem cell cultures from primates, including humans. The human embryonic stem cells patent application and the use of human embryos for commercial purposes had raised criticism," the statement continues. (continued) ” “” “” “
