A group of Germans meeting over the past several months in an effort to learn how “normal people” feel about stem cell research has urged Germany to encourage more use of adult stem cells for research and treatments.

The 12-member Citizens' Conference on Stem Cells handed over its final report on Monday (March 15) to Wolfgang Thierse, speaker of the Bundestag, Germany's lower house of parliament.

Christof Tannert, head of Bioethics and Science Communication at the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in Berlin-Buch, told The Scientist that the Citizens' Conference was the highlight of a 3-year project he is leading, called “Discourse on Ethical Questions of Biomedicine.”

Some 20 adults were selected to participate in three conference weekends beginning in December. By the last weekend, eight of the original members had dropped out of the project for various reasons.

Tannert said he believes that the final report reflects...

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