Germany boosts non-embryonic stem cell research

BERLIN (Reuters) - The German government said it would allocate 5 million euros ($6.9 million) over three years for non-embryonic stem cell research.

"We will support more those research projects that aim to substitute ... embryonic stem cells with stem cells ... produced from non-embryonic cells," German Research Minister Annette Schavan said in a statement on Monday.

Stem cells can develop into different cell types such as blood, brain and bone. Researchers say they offer the potential to treat conditions such as diabetes and Parkinson's disease and to regenerate damaged organs or tissue.

They say cells taken from days-old human embryos seem to be the most promising.

Genetic research is a sensitive subject in Germany due to post-war revelations about Nazi experiments aimed at creating a master race. The country has strict laws on stem cell research.

Since 2002 the production of embryonic cells from pre-existing stem cell lines is banned in Germany and scientists are barred from working on any lines created after January 1, 2002 to ensure that foreign laboratories do not produce stem cell lines for the German market.

The opposition Free Democrats said the move was designed to make embryonic stem cell research obsolete and it put German scientists at a disadvantage over international research.