Dutch Senate votes to allow creating embryos for research
Each project will need prior review, and the law takes effect by royal decree. Until now, researchers could only use embryos left over from IVF treatment.
The Dutch Senate voted 38-35 on Tuesday to allow researchers to create human embryos for the sole purpose of studying them. Until now, the law let scientists work only with embryos left over from in vitro fertilization treatment.
The Eerste Kamer, the upper house of the Dutch parliament, held a roll-call vote at the request of the PRO caucus. The bill comes from lawmakers Jan Paternotte (D66) and Hilde Wendel (VVD), who introduced it in September 2023. The lower house passed it on Dec. 16, 2025, by 90 votes to 59.
Under the law, scientists could study infertility, reproductive techniques, hereditary diseases and transplant medicine. Each project will need advance approval from the CCMO review committee. Wendel argued during the Nov. 3 debate that research would be allowed only when no alternative exists. Paternotte said the eggs would come from existing IVF donations, donors must be informed in writing and the ban on cloning stays, according to a summary of the debate.
The 2002 Embryo Act bars creating embryos solely for research. Three reviews of that law recommended revisiting the ban, and the bill's authors lean on them.
The PVV, SGP, ChristenUnie and JA21 opposed the bill on ethical grounds: in their view, the embryo is created to be studied and destroyed on day 14. The CDA, BBB and 50PLUS questioned whether medicine needs it and whether case-by-case review can be trusted. PRO backed the bill with conditions.
Health Minister Hermans will send senators a letter with the CCMO's annual report on how this research is developing.
The law takes effect on a date set by royal decree. The authors proposed tying it to the entry into force of a separate bill, No. 36.677, which adjusts the legal definition of an embryo.
