Brazilian Court set to make ruling on stem cell research

March 7, 2008

Brazil’s Supreme Court was set to decide if scientists in Latin America’s largest country should be allowed to conduct embryonic stem cell research, which some scientists believe could lead to cures for diseases such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.

The court’s 11 justices were scheduled to rule yesterday on a 2005 petition by then-attorney general Claudio Fontelles, who argued that a new law allowing embryonic stem cell research was unconstitutional because it violates the right to life.

The law opened the way for research with embryos resulting from in-vitro fertilization that are frozen for at least three years. (Taipei Times)