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UK's Blair seeks link with Calif stem cell research
30/07/2006 17:19 - (SA)
San Francisco - Britain is seeking to
promote links between stem cell researchers in Britain and
California, two leaders in the field, during a visit to the
state this week by British Prime Minister Tony Blair,
In contrast to the United States, where a stem cell
research bill provoked President George W. Bush's first veto,
Britain has strongly encouraged such research. It set up the
world's first stem cell bank in 2004 to store and supply the
cells for research that could lead to new treatments for
illnesses from Alzheimer's disease to diabetes.
Britain sees California as a strategic partner in the
biotechnology industry, officials accompanying Blair say.
"They are interested in working with us in developing the
stem cell industry and we're working towards a joint
UK-California conference to be held in the U.K. in November,"
Blair's spokesman said.
Blair will meet on Monday with executives from
biotechnology firms such as Genentech, Gilead Sciences and Cell
Genesys.
California has given a strong boost to stem cell research.
In 2004, state voters backed the creation of the California
Institute for Regenerative Research, passing a measure giving
it the power to raise up to $3 billion in debt to finance
stem-cell research.
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said recently he wanted the
state to be a leader in stem cell research partly because his
father-in-law has Alzheimer's disease.
He disagrees with Bush, a fellow Republican, on whether
stem cell research should include cells from embryos.
Bush cast his first veto this month to block legislation
expanding embryonic stem cell research, putting him at odds
with top scientists.
Blair will also tell U.S. investors that Britain is winning
the fight against animal rights activists opposed to the use of
animals in laboratory testing, his spokesman said. British
officials believe that sometimes violent actions by animal
rights activists risked deterring investment in Britain's
important pharmaceutical industry.
The violence has included intimidation of contractors
building Oxford University's new biomedical research center, as
well as arson, property damage and threats against companies
linked to animal testing.
The British prime minister will have lunch on Sunday with
chief executives from California-based technology companies,
including Cisco Systems, Hewlett-Packard and Sun Microsystems.
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