Scientist team creates first GM human embryo
ayaz
i shall be posting articles which i think will be of interest to the
general intelligent reader. you will have to discriminate between my
posts and those of agents provocateurs. if you have any complaints
please direct them to the secretary general of the united nations.
----------------------------------------
From The Sunday Times
May 11, 2008
Scientist team creates first GM human embryo
http://www.timesonl ine.co.uk/ tol/news/ uk/science/ article3908516.
ece
Sarah-Kate Templeton
Scientists have created what is believed to be the first genetically
modified (GM) human embryo.
A team from Cornell University in New York produced the GM embryo to
study how early cells and diseases develop. It was destroyed after
five days.
The British regulator, the Human Fertilisation and Embryology
Authority (HFEA), has warned that such controversial experiments cause
"large ethical and public interest issues".
News of the development comes days before MPs are to debate
legislation that would allow scientists to use similar techniques in
this country.
The effects of changing an embryo would be permanent. Genes added to
embryos or reproductive cells, such as sperm, will affect all cells in
the body and will be passed on to future generations.
The technology could potentially be used to correct genes which cause
diseases such as cystic fibrosis, haemophilia and even cancer. In
theory, any gene that has been identified could be added to embryos.
Ethicists warn that genetically modifying embryos could lead to the
addition of genes for desirable traits such as height, intelligence
and hair colour.
The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill, which will have its
second reading this week, will make it legal to create GM embryos in
Britain.
The bill will allow GM embryos to be created only for research and
will ban implantation in the womb. Ethicists, however, say that the
legislation could be relaxed in the future.
The HFEA has said that it is preparing for scientists to apply for
licences to create GM embryos. A paper, published by the authority,
states: "The bill has taken away all inhibitions on genetically
altering human embryos for research. The Science and Clinical Advances
Group [of the HFEA] thought there were large ethical and public
interest issues and that these should be referred for debate."
The Cornell team, led by Nikica Zaninovic, used a virus to add a gene,
a green fluorescent protein, to an embryo left over from in vitro
fertilisation.
The research was presented at a meeting of the American Society of
Reproductive Medicine last year but details have emerged only after
the HFEA highlighted the work in a review of the technology.
Zaninovic pointed out that in order to be sure that the new gene had
been inserted and the embryo had been genetically modified, scientists
would ideally need to grow the embryo and carry out further tests.
The Cornell team did not have permission to allow the embryo to
progress, however.
Scientists argue that the embryos could be used to study how diseases
develop. They also say GM embryos could be more efficient in
generating stem cells.
However, Dr David King, director of Human Genetics Alert, warned:
"This is the first step on the road that will lead to the nightmare of
designer babies and a new eugenics. The HFEA is right to say that the
creation and legalisation of GM embryos raises 'large ethical and
public interest issues' but neglects to mention that these have not
been debated at all."
He added: "I have been speaking to MPs all week and no one knows that
the government is legalising GM embryos. The public has had enough of
scientists sneaking these things through and then presenting us with a
fait accompli."