Human-animal hybrid embryos move nearer to reality as Britain becomes more receptive to such research
Scientists are a few steps closer to creating human-animal “chimera” embryos after the British Government – in an unprecedented move – performed a U-turn over banning the controversial research.
The decision could very well create ripples across international boundaries, especially in various other countries, which have strove to curb stem cell research based on ethical grounds.
The use of hybrid embryos – which combine human DNA with animal eggs – should now be accepted, according to a draft fertility bill published Thursday in the UK.
It replaced initial proposals put forward in December to ban the creation of chimeras, bringing a backlash from scientists.
Researchers, at the time, claimed a ban would jeopardise life-saving stem cell research that offers hope for new treatments to combat incurable conditions such as Alzheimer’s and motor neurone disease.
The details of the ‘Human Tissue and Embryos‘ Bill will however be examined by a scrutiny committee before it is finalised later this year.
However, campaigners against such research remain unconvinced.
“This is a highly controversial and terrifying proposal which has little justification in science and even less in ethics,” said Josephine Quintavalle of UK-based, non-profit group, Comment on Reproductive Ethics. “Endorsement by the UK will elicit horror right across the world.”
Under the proposals, hybrid embryos which would be 99.9 per cent human and 0.1 per cent animal will be allowed for research into serious diseases and scientists will need a licence. True human-animal hybrids, creatures ‘bred’ by the fusion of sperm and eggs, will still not be allowed.
In all cases it would be illegal – under British law – to allow embryos to grow for more than 14 days or for them to be implanted into a womb.
Scientists claim the work is vital because of a lack of human eggs to provide stem cells. Inter-species embryos made using eggs from rabbits or cows and genetic material from human donors could provide a plentiful supply.
Two teams of British scientists from London and Newcastle have already sought permission to create human-animal hybrids but their applications have been put on hold by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority which regulates embryo research in the UK.
The Bill also makes provision for considering whether a ‘three-parent’ embryo can be born, resulting from sperm fertilising an egg where faulty DNA has been replaced by material from a donor.
Only Canada has so far passed legislation specifically approving the creation of human-animal hybrids for research.
“Do not be fooled by the claim that this is ‘just research’,” said Dr David King, director of Human Genetics Alert, which is strongly opposed to the creation of human-animal hybrids. “Once we start down the path to genetically-modified babies, it will become very hard to turn back. If you don’t want genetically-modified food, why would you want genetically-modified human embryos?”
However, Professor Robin Lovell- Badge, of the UK-based Medical Research Council National Institute for Medical Research, said: “This research has many benefits for the understanding of disease and for treatments and should not be feared. It is reassuring that the advice of the scientific community has been taken during the drafting of the legislation, which some of us had feared was being swayed by those opposed to scientific progress than by common sense and real understanding of the issues.”