ADVANCED THERAPIES : MEPS BREAK ETHICAL IMPASSE.

• Position: Medical condition overview

Aareport by Miroslav Mikola ik (EPP, Slovakia) on advanced therapies, which are promising for the treatment of cancer, Parkinson's disease and burn patients, met with MEPs' approval on 30 January. The European Parliament's Environment and Public Health Committee adopted (54 to three, with six abstentions) his report on the draft regulation harmonising the commercialisation of gene therapy, cell therapy and tissue engineering.

On 13 September, to the surprise of almost everyone, members of the EP rejected the rapporteur's text. Several had called for more ethical guarantees, even after adopting Mikola ik's amendments.

ETHICAL DEBATE

In the end, MEPs decided not to add a whole series of amendments, notably those tabled by the Committee on Legal Affairs. One amendment called for a specific ban on the commercialisation of the human body or its...