Introduction to

Program with Zain Verjee on Stem Cells  
CNN INTERNATIONAL

August 29, 2002 Thursday

With guests: Arlene Judith Klotzko, Ian Craft, Josephine Quintavalle

VERJEE: Welcome to Q&A. Plans are in the works in Britain to set up the world's first stem cell bank that will collect stem cells from human embryos for medical research. Many supporters say that it could be used one day to treat diseases, like diabetes, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.

VERJEE: With us in London is lawyer and bioethicist, Arlene Judith Klotzko. She is a writer-in-residence at the Science Museum in London, and a visiting scholar in bioethics at University College in London. Also in London is Ian Craft. He is the director of the London Fertility Centre. Ian is in favor of the bank, but concerned about how the embryos will be acquired. Arlene, tell us a little bit about how the idea of this bank came about.

ARLENE JUDITH KLOTZKO, BIOETHICIST: Well, the idea about the bank was first put forth by a report by the World Society, which is the National Academy of Scientists of Great Britain. And this has been endorsed by the government and also by a committee of the House of Lords, a committee on stem cells .

VERJEE: Is it clear exactly how this is going to work?

KLOTZKO: I think the procedures are not clear yet, but the stem cell bank is really a part of a strategy put forward in Britain by, among other people, the prime minister, Tony Blair, who has said he wants Britain to be the No. 1 place in the world to do stem cell research. So the bank would facilitate that research.

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