HC Deb 28 November 1989 vol 162 c225W
Mr. Sims

To ask the Secretary of State for Health in the light of scientific developments indicating the possibility of medical treatment involving genetic modification, what guidance is available to doctors contemplating such treatment; and what steps he is taking to inform himself of progress in this area and of the implications of such developments.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley

Developments are taking place in this field. Following primary research in animals there is within the next two to three years the prospect of treating adults and children with certain serious conditions of genetic origin by gene modification. Such modification would be confined to the individual patient and not transmissible to offspring. The Government consider that it is important that the introduction of such treatments should be carefully studied in advance. I have therefore decided to set up a committee on the ethics of gene therapy with the following terms of referenceTo draw up ethical guidance for the medical profession on treatment of genetic disorders in adults and children by genetic modification of human body cells; to invite and give ethical consideration to proposals from doctors wishing to use such treatment on individual patients and to provide advice to the United Kingdom health Ministers on scientific and medical developments which have a bearing on the safety and efficacy of human gene modifications. The committee will report to the Secretaries of State for Health, for Scotland, for Wales and for Northern Ireland. It will be chaired by Sir Cecil Clothier KCB, QC (formerly Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration and Health Service Commissioner for England, Scotland and Wales and Chairman of the Police Complaints Authority). Its members are: Miss Margaret Auld (formerly Chief Nursing Officer Scottish Home and Health Department), Professor Martin Bobrow (Prince Philip Professor of Paediatric Research, United Medical Schools of Guy's and St. Thomas'), Mrs. Jane Davies (Member, North West Thames RHA), Professor the Rev. Canon Gordon Dunstan, DD, LLD, FSA (Emeritus Professor of Moral and Social Theology, University of London), Dr. Alison Hill (general medical practitioner, Oxfordshire), Professor June Lloyd (President, British Paediatric Association, Nuffield Professor of Child Health, Institute of Child Health, London), Mr. Nick Ross (Broadcaster), Professor Sir David Weatherall FRS (Nuffield Professor of Clinical Medicine, Oxford University), Professor R. Weiss (Director, Chester-Beattie Laboratories).

Although no such treatment is at present being carried out in the United Kingdom it seems likely that it will be available within a few years. The Government consider it important that the introduction of such treatments should be carefully studied in advance.