Britain considers banning hybrid stem cell research (1/8/2007)
Britain's Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority, the country's independent regulator of fertility and embryo research, is set to announce on Thursday whether to ban research to create human embryos from animal eggs.
In November 2006, scientists with Newcastle University and Kings College, London applied for permission to create embryos by fusing human DNA with cow eggs. The embryos are used by scientists to create and harvest stem cells for use in tissue and organ regeneration. This hybrid animal/human embryo technique hopes to avoid creating a market where young women sell there eggs for money, by offering an alternative supply of stem cells.
This sparked fierce debate, including Prime Minister Tony Blair insisting that the government is not dead set against the scientists' proposals.
Last month Britain's Department of Health proposed revisions to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology act, which includes stem cell research. The revisions proposed outlawing the creation of hybrid embryos combining human and animal genetic material.
Scientists in Britain, which have been a world leader in stem cell and cloning research, say they have been informally told that their license applications won't be approved. The agency said it would not comment until a decision is made.
Experts fear the government may ban stem cell research involving hybrid eggs due to misconceptions of Frankenstein-like experiments. Still, an Ipsos-MORI poll from 2003 found that seven in 10 Britons support embryo research.
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