FED: PM seeking advice on whether to reverse stem cell grant

00-00-0000
FED: PM seeking advice on whether to reverse stem cell grant

By Sandra O'Malley

CANBERRA, Aug 28 AAP - Prime Minister John Howard today demanded a please-explain fromembryonic stem cell advocate Alan Trounson, but stopped short of stripping his $44 millionresearch grant.

The Monash University professor, who heads Australia's Biotechnology Centre of Excellence,is under fire from some MPs who claim he misled them on the benefits of the research.

It was revealed a crippled rat shown on a video was cured through a treatment usingstem cells from aborted foetuses rather than from human embryos.

Prof Trounson had used the video to show MPs - who are debating laws that would allowstem cell research on surplus IVF embryos - the effectiveness of the science.

National Party MP Ron Boswell, an opponent of the legislation, also said today thatanother case of misrepresentation by Prof Trounson had come to light.

"First the video was proved to be false and now a paper offered as proof that embryocells work on motor neurone disease has turned out to be wrong as well," Senator Boswelltold parliament.

Mr Howard, who introduced the stem cell bill, said he was disturbed at the revelationProf Trounson had used cells from aborted foetuses, rather than embryos, but said he stillsupported the legislation.

"The fact that there may have have been misrepresentation does not of itself destroythe validity of the arguments that I have embraced in relation to the legislation," hetold parliament.

Asked if he was planning to review the grant, Mr Howard said: "I'm not saying at thisstage that any action in relation to that is necessary but it is necessary that I getsome advice."

Monash University associate professor Martin Pera defended his colleague, saying ProfTrounson did not intend to mislead parliament.

"It was an error in the terminology that he used," he told ABC radio.

"These are two closely related cell types ... they are different, and they are fromdifferent sources, but frankly I wouldn't advise MPs to take too much notice of a singleresult in this particular field anyway."

Prof Trounson was recovering after undergoing surgery yesterday and was unavailable for comment.

But Senator Boswell rejected the suggestion it was a simple mistake.

"Not only has the article (on motor neurone disease) never been published, but it relatesto germ cells (cells from aborted foetuses) and not embryo cells as in the proposed legislation,"

he said.

Senator Boswell said Prof Trounson had cited the research, which was supposed to havebeen published in the online journal Nature Medicine, in a paper to the coalition partyroom.

"Nature Medicine online has never published this article," Senator Boswell said.

"Under standard academic practice throughout the world, you cannot rely on or citereferences which have not been published.

"I understand this article has been under review for months but has not been approvedfor publication."

AAP so/daw/was/de

KEYWORD: STEMCELL NIGHTLEAD