The lack of a law regulating IVF and embryo freezing will not have a significant impact on the government’s plan to attract biomedical companies for the time being, according to an expert who is spearheading the initiative.

I don’t know anyone better than me to do the job- Sir Christopher Evans

Welshman Sir Christopher Evans was yesterday appointed chairman of the BioMalta Foundation. It will draw up a strategic blueprint for the fledgling sector, create funding opportunities to provide share and seed capital for research companies and try to attract foreign investment.

Malta Enterprise is building a life sciences park in San Ġwann next to Mater Dei Hospital and infrastructural works will be completed in 2014.

But Sir Christopher, who was also appointed special envoy on biosciences by the Prime Minister, said the foundation’s work had to start next year.

During a press briefing yesterday in the presence of Malta Enterprise chairman Alan Camilleri, Sir Christopher hinted that it was taking too long for the life sciences park to become functional.

Initial contacts have been made with potential investors to create a $200 million fund to pump into research companies.

When asked about the lack of a law regulating IVF and other ethically charged biomedical issues, Sir Christopher said the foundation was not going to get “bogged down on such issues yet” but he pointed out that it was important for the long term success of “ethical science”.

Sir Christopher is a biotechnology entrepreneur who has established 20 science companies during his career. Two years ago the UK government appointed him to the UK Stem Cell Initiative.

“I don’t know anyone better than me to do the job,” he said about his appointment as Malta envoy.