U. K. to allow creation of human-animal embryos
Reuters
Published: Tuesday, May 20, 2008
LONDON - Britain's parliament voted yesterday to allow the creation
of human-animal embryos, which some scientists say are vital to
research cures for diseases but critics argue pervert the course of
nature.
The vote means Britain retains its status as a world leader in stem
cell research.
Gordon Brown, the Prime Minister, supports the creation of human-
animal or "admixed" embryos, but some Roman Catholic members of his
government oppose the research. Mr. Brown allowed members of
parliament to vote by conscience, not party lines.
"If we want to sustain stem cell research and bring new cures and
treatments to millions of people, I believe admixed embryos are
necessary," Mr. Brown argued in a newspaper article.
The human fertilization and embryology bill prohibits the transfer of
the embryos to a human or animal and says they cannot be used for
research beyond 14 days.
The bill, which updates 1990 laws, is at committee stage when
amendments are tabled and will be subject to a final vote in coming
weeks.
Two groups of scientists have already been given permission to create
human-animal admixed embryos. The bill legalizes their research
within set guidelines.
Some researchers say allowing admixed embryos would open more avenues
as they seek cures for such conditions as motor neurone disease or
Parkinson's. They say their creation would help ease a deficit of
donated human eggs for stem cell research.
Other scientists and religious leaders say creating human-animal
embryos is unethical, and using them for research is a blind alley
that will not cure disease. One Catholic cardinal called the
research "Frankenstein science."
http://www.national
Parliament supports embryo research
David Sapsted, Foreign Correspondent
Last Updated: May 20. 2008 11:53PM UAE / May 20. 2008 7:53PM GMT
In a free vote in the House of Commons, almost two-thirds of MPs
rejected proposals for a ban on the research, which takes human DNA
and implants it in a cow's egg. istockphoto.
LONDON // A motion in the British parliament to outlaw the creation
of part-human, part-animal embryos has been defeated by MPs.
The vote yesterday was heralded as a triumph for the science lobby
and a blunt rejection of Christian and Muslim leaders in Britain,
some of whom have branded the creation of such embryos as "monstrous".
In a free vote in the House of Commons, almost two-thirds of MPs
rejected proposals for a ban on the research, which takes human DNA
and implants it in a cow's egg.
Stem cells are then removed from the developing embryos, which are
destroyed before they are two weeks' old, and used in medical
research by scientists trying to find cures for a host of diseases,
from cancer to dementia.
Given a free vote in a debate which tapped deep ethical and religious
divisions among politicians, the MPs also voted in favour of the
creation of so-called "saviour siblings" – babies born from embryos
carefully selected to be an exact tissue match for a sick older
brother or sister. Stem cells from the baby's umbilical cord can then
be used to treat the older sibling's condition.
The two votes came as something as a relief for Gordon Brown,
Britain's politically-
strongly in favour of allowing scientists to continue their research.
He had allowed Labour MPs to vote as their consciences dictated,
rather than along party lines, after it became clear that some of the
Roman Catholic ministers in his own cabinet were determined to break
ranks and vote to ban the research.
The Roman Catholic church had led the campaign against the
development of hybrid embryos and bishops in the UK and Ireland have
even weighed in with £25,000 (Dh177,500) of their own money to
sponsor alternative methods of research.
Several bishops from the Church of England subsequently came out in
support of their Catholic colleagues while Majid Katme, from the
Islamic Medical Association, had also urged British Muslims to press
their MPs into supporting the ban, saying the creation of hybrid
embryos was un-Islamic and represented "a minefield of dangers and
immorality".
Dr Katme said: "Islam prohibits the making of a new creation through
a cross-species, human-anima hybrid. Every human embryo is a human
being and is fully respected and protected in Islam – yet the
(parliamentary) bill will destroy countless of thousands of embryos.
"We fully support scientific and medical progress aimed at finding
the causes and treatment of diseases (but) seeking to use stem cells
from this new unnatural, man-animal production is knocking on the
wrong door."
But the move to allow continued research had overwhelming backing
from other medical groups, including the British Medical Association,
and dozens of leading health charities, who believe that stem cell
research offers the best hope of cures for many diseases.
When it came to a vote on the proposal by Edward Leigh, a
Conservative MP, to outlaw the creation of the hybrid embryos, three
Labour Party members of Mr Brown's cabinet voted in favour of such a
ban.
Mr Leigh had argued that the creation of part-human, part-cow embryos
was "ethically wrong and almost certainly medically useless" because
there was no evidence that the research led to treatments for
degenerative and other diseases.
"We believe this is a step too far and, therefore, should be banned,"
he said. "In embryos, we do have the genetic make up of a complete
human being. We could not and should not be spliced together with the
animal kingdom."
Sir Gerald Kaufman, a former Labour minister, agreed. "How far do you
go? Where do you stop? What are the limits and what are the
boundaries?" he asked fellow MPs.
"If you permit the creation of hybrid embryos now, what will you seek
to permit next time, even if you have no idea where it will lead?"
However, Dawn Primarolo, the health minister, said that research
would be carefully monitored by the Human Fertilisation and
Embryology Authority, who would only allow it to go ahead if it
was "necessary or desirable". And she said that no hybrid embryo
would ever be implanted into a woman or animal.
After the proposed ban had been defeated, Sir Leszek Borysiewicz,
chief executive of the Medical Research Council, said that the result
would keep the UK at the forefront of embryo research.
Others were not so sure. The right-wing Daily Mail newspaper
said: "Despite fierce objections, politicians yesterday decided the
need for greater medical understanding was more important than the
dangers of tinkering with the essence of life – even though many
leading scientists argue that hybrid embryos are unlikely to bring
promised cures.
"Opponents warned that the decision had made Britain a `rogue state'
and pointed to 21 other countries where such moves had been banned."
Last night, there was further controversy in the House of Commons as
MPs debated whether or not the limit on abortions, currently set at a
maximum of 24 weeks into a woman's pregnancy, should be lowered.
dsapsted@thenationa
http://www.thenatio
T&Profile=1013
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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
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