Top EU court bans stem cell patents

EUObserver and other sources reported that the European Court of Justice in a judgement issued on the 18 October 2011 banned patents on stem cells extracted from human embryos that are then discarded. This was seen to be a ruling with wide-reaching implications for medical research in Europe. Critics called it an 'unbelievable setback'.

• Primary Source

Spiegel Online International, 18.10.11: EU Court Strictly Limits Stem Cell Patents http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/0,1518,792506,00.html

http://curia.europa.eu/jcms/upload/docs/application/pdf/2011-10/cp110112en.pdf http://curia.europa.eu/jcms/upload/docs/application/pdf/2011-10/cp110112en.pdf

EurActiv, 19.10.11: Scientists fear stem cell ruling deals blow to EU research http://www.euractiv.com/health/scientists-fear-stem-cell-ruling-deals-blow-eu-research-news-508404

Deutsche Welle, 18.10.11: Stem cell scientist disappointed by European ruling http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,15469812,00.html

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