Door left open for creation of hybrid human-animal embryos
Pastor Dale Morgan
Door left open for creation of hybrid human-animal embryos*
By Nic Fleming, Science Correspondent
Last Updated: 2:25am GMT 12/01/2007
Scientists will be allowed to make a case for the creation of
human-animal embryos to seek treatments for nervous system disorders it
was announced yesterday.
The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) said it would
launch a scientific and public consultation on the contentious issue.
Two teams of British scientists have applied for licences to create
"hybrid" embryos that would be about 99.9 per cent human and 0.1 per
cent animal to produce embryonic stem cells — the body's building blocks
that can grow into all other types of cells.
They want to use stem cells to understand and develop therapies for
diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, cystic fibrosis, motor
neurone disease and Huntington's.
The hybrid embryos would be destroyed within 14 days when they were no
bigger than a pinhead.
Researchers were relieved at the announcement of the consultation
because they had been privately told to expect the HFEA was likely to
formulate a policy that would ban the work. Decisions on their
applications are now on hold.
At a meeting on Wednesday, the HFEA board decided the applications do
fall within its remit and there was no legislation that forbids it.
The committee said neither politicians nor public have fully understood
the complexities of the different types of proposed research.
It is to invite evidence in a public consultation this summer, before
presenting the findings in the autumn.
Angela McNab, the HFEA chief executive, said: "The issues around hybrid
and chimera research are unique and different from mainstream human
embryo research. "The authority felt it would be wrong to make an
immediate judgment on these complex and controversial matters before we
have built up a proper body of evidence.
"We need to work closely with the scientific community, the various
interest groups and the public to develop a proper understanding of the
different types of science that hybrid and chimera research would
involve. We can then decide the appropriate approach."
The Government has sent out confusing signals on the issue. In December,
a White Paper included a proposed ban on the creation of embryos that
are part-human, part-animal, with a provision to allow such research in
certain conditions under licence.
Tony Blair said last week that although there were difficult issues the
Government was "not dead set against" the creation of early hybrid
embryos for research.
A draft Bill for legislation to replace the Human Fertilisation and
Embryology Act 1990 is being prepared with the intention of including a
full Bill in the Queen's speech next November.
Dr Stephen Minger, who leads one of the British teams, said the
consultation would, "provide the scientific community the opportunity to
inform the public and government of the merit of this research".
But Josephine Quintavalle, of Comment on Reproductive Ethics, said:
"This kind of research is unnecessary. It is high time the authority
defers entirely to Parliament and allows MPs to decide. It is not their
function to write our legislation or interpret our laws."