Research and gene therapy will also help us.

– provide an alternative to somatic gene therapy for the treatment of genetic diseases,

The application of genetics to medicine is by no means risk-free; there have already been deaths during research into gene therapy in the USA because the rules were not applied properly.

By calling for further research into gene therapy and other forms of genetic engineering, the European Parliament is treading on very thin ice, particularly as there is not a word about the risks or about unsuccessful experiments, nor are they subjected to any kind of political assessment, all of which would cast some doubt on the unreservedly positive claims being made.

R. whereas the European Union has a duty to encourage research in biotechnologies and human genetics; whereas fundamental research must not be left solely to the commercial sector, and whereas the public interest requires strong support for all forms of research likely to increase knowledge of the human being and, in time, to help to devise new therapies; whereas national prohibitions relating to certain types of research must not prevent the European Union as a whole from supporting such research in those countries in which it is lawful ; whereas only research leading to the cloning of human beings and changes to the germ line should ...[+++] be prohibited, and whereas therapies should be developed only with a view to treating serious diseases and not to improving new human characteristics,

Thirdly, the biologic and genetic therapies directorate is responsible for regulating biological and radio-pharmaceutical drugs, as well as blood, blood products, viral and bacterial vaccines, genetic therapeutic products, tissues, organs, and xenografts.