The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 270 No 7240 p381
15 March 2003

Society summary

Scientific research is over-regulated, Lord Winston tells Society's Science Reception

Scientific research is over-regulated in the United Kingdom, Lord Winston, professor of fertility studies, Imperial College, London University, said when he addressed the Science Reception at the Society last week.

He compared the length of time taken for research projects to be given the go-ahead in this country compared with the United States and said: "It is a serious issue for scientists."

He explained that he had just received an animal licence for a particular piece of work that he intends to undertake and that it had taken eight months. In Texas, he explained, it would take three weeks for permission to come through for an equivalent research licence and in California, four weeks.

Lord Winston also complained about some stem cell research for which he had raised about £1m and that he said would revolutionise certain aspects of reproductive medicine. Yet the research had been turned down on ethical grounds, even though the patients were donating their embryos voluntarily, the embryos were not going to be "immortalised" and the research was of a type which Parliament had approved by a massive majority. "We need a decent amount of freedom to be able to undertake this sort of research," he added. "We need to be more assertive and aggressive in pointing out the harm that might be done to our country if the pharmaceutical industry, in particular, has unnecessary constraints put upon it."

Lord Winston also said that part of the reason was that science did not have a high enough status in society and that people should recognise that science is as much a part of British culture as Shakespeare. "Science does not have a moral dimension, it is how the knowledge is gained and how it is used that is important. Scientists need to show more openness, and be able to communicate." The process should start in improving science teaching in schools.