§ Mr. BellinghamTo ask the Secretary of State for Health when she expects to be in position to respond to the report of the committee on the ethics of gene therapy.
§ Mr. SackvilleFollowing careful consideration of the responses to wide-ranging consultation on the report of the committee on the ethics of gene therapy, the Government accept, in principle, the committee's recommendation.
The committee recommended that gene therapy research directed to the alleviation of genetic disease in individual patients should continue. However, it considered that genetic modification of the germ line, which would affect future generations, should not yet be attempted. The Government accept these recommendations.
The committee also recommended that, initially, gene therapy should be regarded as research and governed by the same exacting requirements which already apply in the United Kingdom to research involving human subjects. We accept this recommendation. The Government also agree with the committee that proposals to conduct gene therapy should be subject to independent peer review and that, if approved, the use of gene therapy in human subjects should be carefully monitored. These are important safeguards for the patient.
We intend setting up a new body, the gene therapy advisory committee. This committee will consider proposals to apply gene therapy to patients. In considering applications, it will work closely with the Medicines Control Agency and the other bodies which already have statutory responsibilities in the field of genetic modification. The gene therapy advisory committee will give particular attention to the ethical issues surrounding this important subject. The committee on the ethics of gene therapy recommended that this new body be non-statutory. The Government believe that this is right, but will, however, keep the need for statutory controls under review. The terms of reference and membership of the gene therapy advisory committee will be announced later.
The chairman, Sir Cecil Clothier, and the members of the committee on the ethics of gene therapy are to be congratulated for the important work they have done in producing their report. The Government are particularly grateful to the committee for the role it is currently undertaking in which it has already considered and approved the first proposal in the United Kingdom to use gene therapy on a patient. The committee has agreed to continue in being until the gene therapy advisory committee is established.