The European court of Justice ruled that research involving the destruction of embryos cannot be patented. This has severe consequences for the lifesaving research on embryonic stem cell therapies. This research uses spare fertilized egg cells from in vitro fertilization (IVF) procedures to derive special cells (stem cells) that have the ability to transform in very possible cell type.

Embryonic stem cells (ESCs) can help to treat damage to the heart after a heart attack, damage to the brain after a stroke, spinal cord injury, some cancers, macular degeneration, type 1 diabetes, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Parkinson's disease, arthritis, osteoporosis, and many others.

This ruling makes it so that stem cell research will be limited to academic institutions who lack both experience and money to develop these cells from the lab to the patient. As a result of this ruling millions of people will continue to unnecessarily suffer and die! Sign this petition to urge the European Parliament to find a way around the court’s decision.

http://www.nature.com/news/2011/111018/full/news.2011.597.html
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204346104576639010759884794.html
http://www.ipscell.com/2011/10/anti-cure-impact-of-errant-eu-patent-decision-on-hesc/