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EuroStem formed part of the European Union's Fifth Framework Programme
on Quality of Life and Management of Living Resources. This project was concerned with the
Ethics of Human Stem Cell Research and Therapy in Europe and did not
itself involve primary research on persons or the tissues of persons, animals or plants.
Its main objectives, within a context of respect for fundamental human values, have been:
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To develop an ethical framework for human stem cell research, including clarifying the responsibilities
of researchers, policy makers and economic actors in the field and the rights of research subjects and tissue donors,
and exploring the new ethical issues raised by such research;
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To monitor the development of this research and the public response to it in the United Kingdom and
elsewhere in Europe;
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To evaluate the regulatory and legislative framework within which such research will take place in any EU nations
that may permit such research during the course of the project and note lessons for other countries; and
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To identify the ethical issues and concerns raised by such research and the extent to which such issues can be, or
have been resolved, and the concerns addressed, and hence to contribute to a balanced dialogue between the
public, the policy makers and the actors in the field.
The results of the project include an Ethical Framework Document
for Stem Cell Research. This rests on a description of the Moral Base and Imperative of such Research and suggests Principles for addressing the issues that
it presents
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