The man who cloned Dolly the Sheep has been given the go-ahead by Britain's fertility watchdog to use human eggs and embryos to create stem cells.

The Human Fertilisation and Embryology welcomes comments from ePolitix.com Forum members on this issue.

Forum Response: Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority

Suzi Leather, chair of the HFEA, said: "After careful consideration of all the scientific, ethical and medical aspects of the project, the HFEA licence committee agreed to grant an initial one year research licence to the Roslin Institute.

"It is important that any research involving human embryos is scrutinised and properly regulated."

Forum Response: CARE

Paul Woolley, head of Westminster public policy for CARE told ePolitix.com: "CARE has expressed grave concern about the news that the Roslin Institute has been granted a licence allowing them to carry out controversial stem cell research.

"In addition to experimenting on cells extracted from the embryos no longer wanted by couples undergoing IVF treatment, the Roslin Institute will also be able to create embryos from unfertilised eggs. The Institute will artificially stimulate donated human eggs in a process known as parthenogenesis which involves activating human eggs so that they develop into early embryos without first being fertilised by sperm. Stem cells are extracted and the embryos are discarded.

"This new development to create embryos from unfertilised eggs for experimental purposes is unethical. It is not even necessary to take the view that the early embryo is a full human person in order to be convinced that such experimentation is improper.

"An embryo possesses the potential to be a full human person and such in-built potentiality necessitates profound respect. The ends of research do not always justify the means. It is crucial that scientific research takes place within an ethical framework and does not run unchecked after academic or commercial goals."