Austrian government working on human research law

VIENNA, May 17 (Xinhua) -- The Austrian Ministry of Science and Research is working on a human research law particularly in light of human cell cloning for stem cell production, APA reported Friday.

Science and Research Minister Karlheinz Toechterle said the aim was to "comprehensively regulate the currently fragmented legal situation" regarding the ethical questions involved in this branch of the medical research field.

The framework for the planned legislation should be presented during the current legislative period, he added.

Toechterle also said the traditional Austrian principle of "sustainability and reflected action" as seen in the area of environmental protection should also apply to questions of human research and bio medicine.

This would apply not only as part of the research strategy of the federal government, but also reflect similar moves by other European countries such as Switzerland which have created comprehensive legislation on ethical issues in research in recent years.

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