Human-animal embryo study wins approval
Mixing cells and eggs to be allowed in search for new medical treatments
Ian Sample, science correspondent
The Guardian
Tuesday September 4 2007
Plans to allow British scientists to create human-animal embryos are
expected to be approved tomorrow by the government's fertility regulator.
The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority published its long-awaited
public consultation on the controversial research yesterday, revealing that
a majority of people were "at ease" with scientists creating the hybrid
embryos.
Researchers want to create hybrid embryos by merging human cells with animal
eggs, in the hope they will be able to extract valuable embryonic stem cells
from them. The cells form the basic building blocks of the body and are
expected to pave the way for revolutionary therapies for diseases such as
Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and even spinal cord injuries.
The consultation papers were released ahead of the authority's final
decision on the matter, which will mark the end of almost a year of intense
lobbying by scientists and a fervent campaign by organisations opposed to
research involving embryonic stem cells.
Using animal eggs will allow researchers to push ahead unhindered by the
shortage of human eggs. Under existing laws, the embryos must be destroyed
after 14 days when they are no bigger than a pinhead, and cannot be
implanted into the womb.
Opponents of the research and some religious groups say the work blurs the
distinction between humans and animals, and creates embryos that are
destined to be destroyed when stem cells are extracted from them.
Two research groups based at King's College London and Newcastle University
have already applied to the HFEA to create animal-human embryos, but their
applications have been on hold since November last year amid confusion over
whether the authority was legally able to issue licences.
If the authority approves the research, the applications will go forward to
a committee, with a decision on both due within three months.
Professor Ian Wilmut, whose team cloned Dolly the sheep, is waiting for the
HFEA's decision before applying to create hybrid embryos to study motor
neurone disease with Professor Chris Shaw at the Institute of Psychiatry in
London.
The consultation, a £150,000, three-month mix of opinion polls, public
meetings and debates, found participants were initially cautious of merging
animal and human material, but became more positive. "When further factual
information was provided and further discussion took place, the majority of
participants became more at ease with the idea," the HFEA's report says.
Most support was expressed for the creation of so-called cytoplasmic hybrid
embryos, in which a human cell is inserted into an empty animal egg. Other
hybrid embryos, such as those created by fertilising an animal egg with
human sperm, or vice versa, were less well supported.
In December, the government sparked a revolt by scientists, patient groups
and medical researchers when it published a white paper containing proposals
to outlaw almost all research into animal-human embryos. The research has
since been backed by Nobel prizewinners, the Medical Research Council, the
Wellcome Trust, the Commons science and technology committee, and the
government's chief science adviser, Sir David King.
In May, the government withdrew its opposition in a draft fertility bill and
now seeks to outlaw only embryos created by mixing sperm and eggs from
humans and animals. The bill will be put before parliament before the end of
the year.
Martin Rees, president of the Royal Society, said: "The HFEA's consultation
reveals welcome recognition of the potential of this research, [with] 61% of
the general public agreeing with the creation of human-animal embryos, if it
may help understand diseases, with only a quarter opposed to this research."

Rayilyn Brown
Board Member AZNPF
Arizona Chapter National Parkinson's Foundation
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