DEBATING SOCIETY: The Church Rooms was the venue for the annual debate at Chipping Campden School on Saturday. The subject was 'this house believes that embryonic stem cell research offers opportunities that must not be missed'.

Lois Stamps and Charlotte Goddard, both sixth form students of the arts had done their research well and were not intimidated by the strength of the opposition, two medical doctors, both experts in their speciality - Dr Kevin Vaughan and the Rev Michael Absalon, a former consultant ophthalmic surgeon.

For the proposition, Miss Stamps began with the quotation of Hippocrates that history is not only a matter of time but opportunity and advocated that since its discovery in 1998 the relief of human suffering through embryonic stem cell research could be enhanced, for which reason embryos should be rightfully used.

Miss Goddard, in her support of the proposition, argued the advantages of embryonic stem cell research over adult stem cell research and stated that the sanctity of human life was not affected, for the embryo does not suffer pain.

Dr Vaughan, for the opposition, shared the proposers' concern and compassion for sufferers. There were vested interests in this realm of 'quackery' and embryonic stem cell research was misguided.

Dr Absalon reinforced Dr Vaughan's arguments, quoting the deceptions of Dr Wang, who wanted Korea to be the research centre of the world. In his own field of ophthalmology there were astonishingly successful eye operations using adult stem cells, without any risk to the donor and without controversy.

The motion was carried: for 27, against 21, abstentions 7.