In late February, the European Patent Office (EPO; Munich, Germany) admitted a mistake in a patent issued last December for a technology that could include cloning of humans. The English version of the patent, which was issued to Edinburgh University and biotech company Stem Cell Sciences (SCS; Melbourne, Australia), did not include the word “non-human” in reference to cloning animal cells. The problem was first reported by environmental group Greenpeace, and there were none associated with the French and German language versions of the patent, which covers a method of isolation, selection, and propagation of transgenic stem cells. EPO said it “admitted this error and regrets that it has occurred…[and] will take every care to prevent such errors recurring in the future.” However, by law EPO is not able to amend the current patent. Under the European Patent Convention, anyone may challenge the patent by filing an opposition within nine months from when the patent was granted, and EPO said it expects that to happen. Meanwhile, SCS has released a statement stressing that it never intended to use its patented technique to produce genetically engineered humans and says it has contacted EPO to confirm that position.