'Limit' to lab egg and sperm use
A successful human pregnancy could be many years away
Scientists say it is highly unlikely same-sex couples would be able
to use lab-created egg and sperm as a way to create their own
biological child.
And despite advances, it could be 20 years before the science can
routinely create human pregnancies, a global team of researchers and
ethicists has said.
There are high hopes so-called artificial gametes could be used by
those who find themselves infertile.
But the ethical debate is far ahead of the science, the Hinxton Group
warns.
The consortium of scientists, academics and lawyers from 14 countries
say it is nonetheless vital that the public and policy makers engage
with a field which has the power to spark such controversy.
Artificial gametes are sperm and eggs created from stem cells. There
are a variety of potential sources, including early embryos left-over
from IVF to cells taken from the skin or bone marrow of a would-be
parent.
In the UK, legislation currently allows artificial gametes in
research, but bans it for creating a human pregnancy.
However, amendments which would lift this ban - if and when the
science was ready - have been tabled to a major fertility bill which
is about to go before parliament.
Be patient
Supporters of the science say it would give those who are infertile -
perhaps as a result of chemotherapy or the menopause - the chance to
have their own genetically-
the shortage of sperm donors.
I don't see anything in particular that people should be alarmed
about with this science
Professor John Harries
Bioethicist
It has also been suggested that same-sex couples who want a child
biologically linked to both of them could benefit.
There are lobby groups which oppose this and which have also raised
the prospect of the "ultimate incest", in which the same person is
both mother and father of a child.
But the Hinxton Group suggests the science needed for either of these
looks very doubtful.
"The group felt that it is likely to be very difficult indeed to
derive eggs that could be used for reproduction from men," said
Professor Robin Lovell-Badge, of the UK's MRC National Institute for
Medical Research.
"And it appears virtually impossible to get sperm from women."
So far, artificial sperm has only been used to create pregnancies in
mice: the resulting offspring did not survive long, succumbing to
genetic abnormalities.
The group says it could be 15 years before the science is ready for
human application, and another five years on top of that to obtain
the approval needed for widespread use.
More optimistic prognoses say the entire process could be completed
within the next decade.
http://news.
«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
StemCells subscribers may also be interested in these sites:
Children's Neurobiological Solutions
http://www.CNSfoundation.org/
Cord Blood Registry
http://www.CordBlood.com/at.cgi?a=150123
The CNS Healing Group
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CNS_Healing
____________________________________________
«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
Change settings via the Web (Yahoo! ID required)
Change settings via email: Switch delivery to Daily Digest | Switch format to Traditional
Visit Your Group | Yahoo! Groups Terms of Use | Unsubscribe
__,_._,___
No comments:
Post a Comment