Scientist defends hybrid embryos
Mar 31 2008 by Paul Loraine, The Journal
A SCIENTIST in the North has defended plans to create human-animal embryos in the face of growing criticism from the Catholic Church.
Newcastle University is one of two bodies bidding to create the hybrid embryos for research into diseases like Alzheimer’s, diabetes and Parkinson’s.
Prime Minister Gordon Brown last week bowed to pressure from Christian cabinet colleagues and the Catholic Church to give MPs a free vote when the proposals come before Parliament.
But Professor John Burn, head of the university’s Institute of Human Genetics, last night argued that the “vast majority of people” still backed the plans.
The leader of Scotland’s Roman Catholic Church, Cardinal Keith O’Brien, sparked a storm when he described the stem cell research proposals as “monstrous”. But on Saturday, the Cardinal said he would be “only too happy” to meet with the scientists involved.
Last night Professor Burn said he was happy to meet the Cardinal, but he believed most people were in support of the proposed work. He said: “If the Cardinal comes to see us I will be delighted to show him what we do but I don’t expect to change his mind. We are in no doubt that what we are doing is entirely defensible. We see no problems, even from a theological point of view.
“Our experience is that the vast majority of people are in favour of what we do. Nothing the Cardinal says could change our mind. We have heard their argument and we simply don’t agree.”
At a public meeting in Kirkcaldy on Saturday, Cardinal O’Brien agreed to meet the scientists involved in the research, and suggested leaders from all faiths should come together to discuss the matter. He said: “I see the way ahead through bringing together the Churches and peoples of all faiths, along with scientists who are involved at this present time with the potential production of these human-animal hybrid embryos or who wish to consider such production themselves.
“I have been approached by MPs and asked by others in the media to consider meeting with leading scientists who are currently involved in this area.
“I would be only too happy to agree to such a meeting and I am sure other Church representatives and leaders of other faiths would also agree.”
Mr Burn saying: “We respect their views. The only problem arises when they want to impose those views on people who don’t share them.”
Politicians welcomed the Cardinal’s offer to discuss the issue, and Labour MP Jim Devine suggested a meeting could take place on April 22.
Supporters of the Bill argue that the use of hybrid embryos could lead to cures for diseases including multiple sclerosis and Alzheimer’s disease. A team at Newcastle led by Dr Lyle Armstrong hopes to use embryos that are 99.9% human and 0.1% animal to ease the shortage of fresh human eggs for research.
The Newcastle team has applied for approval to use cow eggs as a means to understand the way they can convert skin cells into embryonic stem cells. Under the terms of the licence, any hybrid embryos created would have to be destroyed within 14 days of being created.
