European Court Protects Human Life from the Moment of Conception

The question, “When does human life begin?” was answered in a European Court of Justice last week (October 19, 2011).  The judgment (C=34/10, Brüstle vs. Greenpeace) recognizes the beginning of human life at “all stages of the development of human life, beginning with the fertilization of the ovum.” 

The matter before the court was related to a German patent held by Mr Oliver Brüstle for the use of embryonic stem cells in research directed toward treating neurological diseases. 

The judgment answered the question, “What is meant by the term “human embryos” . . . Does it include all stages of the development of human life, beginning with the fertilisation of the ovum, or must further requirements, such as the attainment of a certain stage of development, be satisfied?”

The court recognized that any human ovum, as soon as it is fertilized [the moment of conception], is an organism “capable of commencing the process of development of a human being.”  This excludes the patentability of research using human embryos for “industrial or commercial purposes” or “for purposes of scientific research.”

The decision was declared “A tremendous pro-life victory” in an article by J.C. von Krempach, J.D. - an online legal analysis in “Turtle Bay and Beyond.”  The article states that “Oliver Brüstle, the stem cell researcher of Bonn University whose patent claim had been at the origin of the legal dispute, lamented that ‘with this judgment, embryonic stem cell research is out of business’ and warned that cutting-edge biotechnical research would from now on take place elsewhere, but not anymore in Europe.”

The judgment declares that it is “binding the European Union and/or the Member States.”  Essentially, within the European Union, an invention is excluded from being patented where the process requires either the prior destruction of human embryos or their use as a base material. (See analysis by Grégor Puppinck, Ph.D.)

Yesterday (October 26, 2011), Anna Zaborska, member of European Parliament, discussed the “Luxemburg Judgement” regarding the beginning of human life, and also presented the San Jose Articles, which state that “As a matter of scientific fact a new human life begins at conception.”  (See previous blog on San Jose Articles.)

Zaborska urged the European Parliament, and those representing the E.U. at the U.N., to recognize the life of future citizens from the moment of conception in future negotiations.”

(Comments of Anna Zaborska in an audio of the European Parliament presentation - in possession of Susan Roylance.)

The question, “When does human life begin?” was answered in a European Court of Justice last week (October 19, 2011).  The judgment (C=34/10, Brüstle vs. Greenpeace) recognizes the beginning of human life at “all stages of the development of human life, beginning with the fertilization of the ovum.” 

The matter before the court was related to a German patent held by Mr Oliver Brüstle for the use of embryonic stem cells in research directed toward treating neurological diseases. 

The judgment answered the question, “What is meant by the term “human embryos” . . . Does it include all stages of the development of human life, beginning with the fertilisation of the ovum, or must further requirements, such as the attainment of a certain stage of development, be satisfied?”

The court recognized that any human ovum, as soon as it is fertilized [the moment of conception], is an organism “capable of commencing the process of development of a human being.”  This excludes the patentability of research using human embryos for “industrial or commercial purposes” or “for purposes of scientific research.”

The decision was declared “A tremendous pro-life victory” in an article by J.C. von Krempach, J.D. - an online legal analysis in “Turtle Bay and Beyond.”  The article states that “Oliver Brüstle, the stem cell researcher of Bonn University whose patent claim had been at the origin of the legal dispute, lamented that ‘with this judgment, embryonic stem cell research is out of business’ and warned that cutting-edge biotechnical research would from now on take place elsewhere, but not anymore in Europe.”

The judgment declares that it is “binding the European Union and/or the Member States.”  Essentially, within the European Union, an invention is excluded from being patented where the process requires either the prior destruction of human embryos or their use as a base material. (See analysis by Grégor Puppinck, Ph.D.)

Yesterday (October 26, 2011), Anna Zaborska, member of European Parliament, discussed the “Luxemburg Judgement” regarding the beginning of human life, and also presented the San Jose Articles, which state that “As a matter of scientific fact a new human life begins at conception.”  (See previous blog on San Jose Articles.)

Zaborska urged the European Parliament, and those representing the E.U. at the U.N., to recognize the life of future citizens from the moment of conception in future negotiations.”

(Comments of Anna Zaborska in an audio of the European Parliament presentation - in possession of Susan Roylance.)

The question, “When does human life begin?” was answered in a European Court of Justice last week (October 19, 2011).  The judgment (C=34/10, Brüstle vs. Greenpeace) recognizes the beginning of human life at “all stages of the development of human life, beginning with the fertilization of the ovum.” 

The matter before the court was related to a German patent held by Mr Oliver Brüstle for the use of embryonic stem cells in research directed toward treating neurological diseases. 

The judgment answered the question, “What is meant by the term “human embryos” . . . Does it include all stages of the development of human life, beginning with the fertilisation of the ovum, or must further requirements, such as the attainment of a certain stage of development, be satisfied?”

The court recognized that any human ovum, as soon as it is fertilized [the moment of conception], is an organism “capable of commencing the process of development of a human being.”  This excludes the patentability of research using human embryos for “industrial or commercial purposes” or “for purposes of scientific research.”

The decision was declared “A tremendous pro-life victory” in an article by J.C. von Krempach, J.D. - an online legal analysis in “Turtle Bay and Beyond.”  The article states that “Oliver Brüstle, the stem cell researcher of Bonn University whose patent claim had been at the origin of the legal dispute, lamented that ‘with this judgment, embryonic stem cell research is out of business’ and warned that

The judgment declares that it is “binding the European Union and/or the Member States.”  Essentially, within the European Union, an invention is excluded from being patented where the process requires either the prior destruction of human embryos or their use as a base material. (See analysis by Grégor Puppinck, Ph.D.)

Yesterday (October 26, 2011), Anna Zaborska, member of European Parliament, discussed the “Luxemburg Judgement” regarding the beginning of human life, and also presented the San Jose Articles, which state that “As a matter of scientific fact a new human life begins at conception.”  (See previous blog on San Jose Articles.)

Zaborska urged the European Parliament, and those representing the E.U. at the U.N., to recognize the life of future citizens from the moment of conception in future negotiations.”

(Comments of Anna Zaborska in an audio of the European Parliament presentation - in possession of Susan Roylance.)

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