Traditional diseases back in the sixth framework
The European Parliament has widened health research under the forthcoming EU Sixth Framework Programme to include studies on traditional diseases. The Commission had planned originally to limit its life science work to genomics and biotechnology, but the parliament wants money spent on cancer, cardiovascular diseases, degenerative nervous system illnesses, diabetes, viral hepatitis C, allergies, rare diseases and ageing conditions.
These changes have been incorporated in the programme as formal amendments. They have now been accepted by the EC, and so can be expected to stand.
MEPs also set the seal on the overall budget of €16.2bn for the 2002-6 programme on research, while passing amendments that would prevent its money being spent on a range of ethically controversial subjects.
These include studies into human cloning for reproduction, the creation of embryos for research, and the modification of human genes which can be passed on to children and is for eugenics not for treating specific diseases.