In an article of the newspaper, Le Figaro, Alain Privat, professor of neurobiology at the Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes (EPHE), former director at the Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale,
and corresponding member of the Academy of Medicine, “responds to the recent decision of the [French] Parliament to re-examine legislation relative to research on the human embryo.”
The neurobiologist opposes government support proposed by a bill to authorize research on the human embryo, support highlighted by the minister of research’s speech during the Senate general debate on September 15.
For the professor of neurobiology, “an update is necessary.” In fact, “the Nobel Prize awarded to Professor Yamanaka for his discovery of induced pluripotent stem cells, (iPS), triggered an attempt to make the new findings sound favorable to the promoters of research on human embryos,” adding that “it is true that they may feel vulnerable as their research advances so slowly in the face of the revolution of iPS and of the promising therapeutic results provided by non-embryonic stem cells.”
While “some people pretend that the work crowned by the Nobel Prize supports research on the human embryo,” Alain Privat states that “it is actually the opposite.” The linking between stem cells and human embryonic stem cells is misleading. Professor Yamanaka’s discovery has opened a new path: A specialized adult cell can be reduced to an undifferentiated state and then directed to give rise to all the tissues of an organism!”
In fact, for Alain Privat, “the discovery of Professor Yamanaka makes research on human embryos obsolete and showcases the wanderings of French researchers: to research on human embryos at any price.”
In the second place, he states that “to utilize the discovery of Yamanaka to support the authorization of research on human embryos, while he himself would reject their use for ethical reasons, is not only a betrayal of his work and his genius, but also it is using the wrong method.” He adds, “if Professor Yamanaka had followed the path taken by the French scientific proponents of human embryonic research, he would not have made the discovery whose purpose is precisely to treat WITHOUT using the embryo.”
He continues stating that “others brandish the accusation of the delay of the French research because of stubbornness against banning research on human embryos and of the conservatism of our country.” But Professor Alain Privat explains on the contrary that “it is precisely the obstinate partisans of embryonic research who are responsible for the delay in France. The French research agencies are delayed by several years of financing involving iPS cells such as those which were awarded by the Nobel prize.”
Finally, Professor Alain Privat notes that a last argument is being advanced by the “tenants of ‘all-embryonic research’,” according to which, “iPS cells are certainly interesting, but human embryonic stem cells remain the standard reference measure.” They add that “Dr. Yamanaka himself would have used embryonic stem cells to achieve its discovery.”
But for the neurobiologist, “this information is willfully given in an incomplete manner.” In fact, “In 2006, in his first publication on animal stem cells, [Professor Yamanaka] used animal embryonic stem cells, not human,” and “in 2007, in his second publication on human stem cells, he also did not use human embryonic stem cells.” Consequently, for Professor Privat, “it is quite incomprehensible that we are still using embryonic stem cells as the ‘gold standard’ for evaluating iPS cells. Human embryonic stem cells are historically the reference point (initially for lack of an alternative). Today, the situation has changed. In fact, “the most recent research shows […] that iPS are largely superior to embryonic stem cells, notably for ‘modelisation’ of diseases and testing of molecules for the profit of the pharmaceutical industry.”
In addition, with regard to organ transplants “they (iPS) do not require use of immunosuppressive therapy,” and “the risk of tumors alleged by opponents proved equal or less than that of embryonic stem cells.”
Therefore, Professor Alain Privat warns: “If France would continue to promote further research on the human embryo by means of legislative ideology, it would send the world a message of denial of ethics and of scientific anachronism.”
Le Figaro (Alain Privat) 20/10/12
