Bad Science alerts us to a protest taking place next Monday outside the UK Houses of Parliament.

That’s when the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill gets its second reading in the House of Commons. The Bill updates existing legislation on embryo research, tightening regulation without inhibiting promising research avenues.

Naturally, the Bill has drawn strong criticism from so-called pro-life groups. But scientists and other proponents of this research are encouraged to make their voices heard.

On Monday 12th May 2008 outside the Houses of Parliament we will seek to represent the breadth of the support for the Bill just before the debate begins by bringing representatives from the hundreds of patient groups together with scientists who support the Bill.

A YouGov poll in August 2005 showed that 77% of people accept embryo research for life-threatening diseases. But For far too long the only public shows of feeling on this issue have come from those who wish to vote down these much needed and progressive measures permitting carefully regulated embryo research and important and ethical clinical interventions like pre-implantation genetic diagnosis. So for the first time science and medicine is going to show its support for the bill.

Don’t forget your white coat!