The embryo superstore

Thousands of human embryos are to be used in medical research by Government scientists.

They want to build up the world's first bank of cells that could be used to treat dozens of medical conditions, from Alzheimer's disease to diabetes.

The initiative will outrage many people on religious grounds, while some experts in medical ethics are appalled that the project will involve the destruction of embryos on such a large scale.

Couples who have undergone fertility treatment will be asked to donate embryos left over after IVF. Critics claim they will be 'emotionally blackmailed' into consenting by being told that medical breakthroughs will otherwise be delayed.

The Medical Research Council, which is in charge of the Government's scientific research funding, will announce the highly contentious project on September 11.

There is grave concern that the MRC has chosen such a sensitive anniversary as the launch date, with some seeing it as a cynical attempt to bury the news.

Scientists claim that work on the embryonic 'stem cells' - the body's mother cells that are capable of developing into any kind of tissue - will bring about a revolution in conventional medicine.

They hope the project will allow them to lead the world in using embryos as a source of spare-part cells and organs. For example, brain cells could be produced to treat Parkinson's disease or cardiac tissue could be used to patch up failing hearts.

An embryo is created by the fusion of a sperm and egg. With IVF, this is done in the laboratory. British law allows scientists to experiment on embryos up to 14 days of life.

However, the Catholic Church believes life begins at conception and sees embryo research - even when it involves a ball of cells a few days old - as immoral.

The Vatican's official newspaper describes the cloning of embryos for medical research as a 'violation that stains the blood of innocence'.

Mark Morley, director of communications for the Catholic Bishops' Conference, said: 'We welcome advances which are going to improve the quality of life for those who suffer disease or illness.

'But we maintain that human life is sacred and the destruction of an embryo should not be used as the mechanism by which new treatments are established.'

Lord Alton, an independent peer and outspoken critic of embryo research, said the project raised 'grave concerns' about the ' commercialisation' of the human embryo.

'Surely the embryo is entitled to utmost respect and should not be turned into a commodity that is bartered, bought and held in a bank for the purpose of exploitation,' he said.

'There is no doubt that they are trying to develop the technology that will enable them to harvest human embryos for treatments which, if they work, will be worth an awful lot of money.'

Lord Alton said he was unconvinced by the claim that no undue pressure would be put on couples to donate their embryos.

'They will come under intolerable pressure,' he claimed. 'Emotional blackmail will be used. Couples will be given all sorts of tantalising and seductive arguments about cures for Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and other diseases.

'These are cruel arguments that are aimed at manipulating sufferers and making people who think they are doing the right thing to donate their embryos.'

A spokesman for the ProLife Alliance expressed 'innate abhorrence towards the exploitation and loss of early human life which will be generated by this appalling initiative'.

He added: 'This will be a bank in every commercial sense of the word, and in no time we can expect market trading in human embryo derivatives, as thousands and thousands of embryos are sacrificed.'

The group also criticised the MRC for planning to announce details of the bank at a conference on the first anniversary of the terrorist atrocities in the U.S.

'The timing of this launch is insensitive and cynical, with Parliament in summer recess and the media focus directed towards anniversary events,' he said.

The MRC said September 11 was one of the few dates available when it had been possible to gather experts in the field together.

Dr John Sinden, of the biotechnology firm ReNeuron, who has been advising the MRC on the cell bank, said: 'We are very excited about this important initiative. We now have a legislative and political framework that puts us in a good position compared to the U.S. and other parts of Europe.'

He said the MRC was working 'very closely' with IVF clinics to ensure a steady supply of embryos for research.

As well as using embryos from IVF clinics, scientists will also create them specifically for the purpose by fertilising eggs in the laboratory. Other scientists are expected to attempt to produce more using cloning.

Stem cells taken from adults, which persist in the bone marrow and the nervous system, will also be stored.

Dr Diane McLaren, strategy and initiative co-ordinator at the MRC, confirmed the council had been working with the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) to draw up consent forms that would be given to IVF couples. ' There are lots of things to worry about in terms of what people's perceptions are of this type of research,' she said.

HFEA spokesman Ann Furedi said: 'Clearly everyone is aware of how sensitive and potentially controversial this matter is, and this has been taken into consideration.

'The HFEA is confident that consent procedures will be devised so that couples are not put under undue pressure.'

In a speech to the Royal Society earlier this year, Tony Blair vowed to make Britain the world leader in embryo research.

In February, a House of Lords select committee gave scientists the go-ahead to conduct more research on embryos and to create cloned embryos as a source of stem cells for transplantation.

The decision, which followed several earlier votes in Parliament, made Britain's policy among the most liberal in the world.