British scientists have won approval to begin the first embryonic stem cell trial in Europe in patients affected by a degenerative eye disease.
If successful, the trial could lead to the first effective treatment for Stargardt’s Macular Dystrophy, one of the main causes of blindness in young people.
Scientists who have campaigned in favour of stem cell research says the trial marks a major step towards acceptance that their work is ethically justified by the potential medical benefits.
Professor Colin Blakemore, a neuroscientist at the University of Oxford said: “The ultimate justification for all of the work that has been done is that it will lead to a great advance in medical treatment. It’s good to see this progress towards such applications.”
Surgeons at Moorfield’s