27/5/2006 Australia is home to world-leading research into cures of spinal injury, to be showcased at the re:connections conference in Sydney on Monday, says the leading UK scientist, Professor James Fawcett.

"Stem cell biology will be at the centre of cures for spinal injury and other disabling conditions affecting the nervous system", said Dr Fawcett.

"The 2005 Lockhart report recommends legislation that will continue to outlaw cloning of human embryos, but will allow scientists to develop stem cell cures for disease.

"The Australian government should adopt these sensible recommendations, which are similar to those in force in many other countries including the UK. Present legislation is preventing Australian scientists from participating in the most important developments in medicine.

"An important recommendation of the report is to allow creation of new stem cell lines. These are cells which can be grown for many years to provide new tissue to patients.

"In the future stem cell lines matched to individual patients will be made by Somatic Nuclear Cell Transfer, or therapeutic cloning. This important technique should be allowed in Australia", said Dr Fawcett.

A poll in The Age newspaper in December 05 showed there is widespread support for allowing this technique, with 77 per cent of respondents claiming the current ban should be relaxed (The Age, Oct 2005).

Another important area of Professor Fawcett’s research is developing clinical trials to test new treatments for spinal cord injury.

"I will be discussing this work with leading researchers and clinicians here in Australia", he said.

There are now several treatments that have the potential of inducing a partial repair of spinal cord injuries. These stimulate axon regeneration, promote plasticity or both. Two of these have now entered clinical trials and others will follow in the near future.

"One of our next challenges is to design robust trials so that effective treatments can be shown to be useful and reach the clinic soon."

One of Professor Fawcett’s roles while in Sydney is to help facilitate the setting up of the first Australasian spinal cord injury network that will help bring laboratory researchers and doctors working in spinal units closer together.

"We need to do everything possible for the spinal injured patient. We can prepare for a time when treatments will be available by setting up more effective collaboration between what is happening in research and what happens in spinal units," he said.

One of the initiators of the network, Joanna Knott, a director of SpinalCure Australia, who has a spinal injury from a skiing accident, said the new Australasian Spinal Cord Injury Network (ASCIN), was very exciting.

"This network could lead to better treatments and cures for people with spinal injuries and related disorders,” she said.

The Australasian Spinal Cord Injury Network to advance spinal cord rehabilitation, recovery and repair will be launched on Tuesday in Sydney.

There are approximately 18,000 men and women living with paralysis caused by spinal injury in Australia. The average age for injury is 19 years, with 53 per cent of injuries resulting from motor vehicle accidents; 23 per cent from everyday falls and 12 per cent from sports. One injury of this type occurs every day in Australia.

nb: The Lockhart Report states "In view of the wide range of diseases and conditions that stem cell research aims to help, and the burden of disease involved, the Committee has recommended that the creation of human embryo clones by SCNT should be permitted, under licence, for research, training and clinical applications" (Executive Summary XVII).

For further info Legislation Review Committee.