Hybrid embryos may be created in North
May 18 2007 By Graeme Whitfield, The Journal
A u-turn by ministers has cleared the way for scientists in the North to create embryos that are part human, part animal.
A team at Newcastle University had hoped to create embryos that are 99.9% human and 0.1% animal to help stemcell research.
The research was put at risk when a Government White Paper published earlier in the year proposed banning hybrid embryos, but yesterday ministers published a draft Bill that effectively sweeps away the ban and allows human embryos to be altered by the introduction of animal DNA.
Health Minister Caroline Flint yesterday denied the Government had climbed down, but the change in policy was attacked by pro-life campaigners.
Scientists in the North - who hope to stay at the forefront of world stemcell research - welcomed the move.
Head of Newcastle University's human genetics institute Prof John Burn said: "I'm delighted that common sense has prevailed. I fully understand the knee-jerk reaction that creating human-animal embryos is worrying.
"But what we're talking about here are cells on a dish, not a foetus. We're talking about something that looks like sago under the microscope and it's illegal to ever turn these cells into a living being."
Chief executive of the region's Centre for Excellence in Life Sciences, Mike Asher, said: "This represents a real step forward in allowing vital research by stemcell scientists such as those in North-East England, who have applied for one of the first licences to conduct this ground-breaking hybrid embryo work." The proposed law would allow human-animal chimeras - human embryos that have been physically mixed with one or more animal cells - though true human-animal hybrids, "bred" by the fusion of sperm and eggs, would stay outlawed.
In all cases it would be illegal to allow embryos to grow for more than 14 days or be implanted in a womb.
Ms Flint said: "Our position was not to stop this research, but to be clear that it's sensitive research, and we have to be sure about what we're going to permit to happen in the future."
Last month, MPs on the Science and Technology Select Committee published a highly critical report on the White Paper proposals, saying they were "unacceptable and potentially harmful to UK science".
The HFEA will announce a policy decision in September and then decide whether to grant research licences requested by scientists at King's College London and Newcastle University.
