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New fertility laws say dads not needed to make babies
Last updated at 13:22pm on 17.05.07
British scientists have applied for permission to produce embryos that would be 99.9 per cent human and 0.1 per cent animal
Persuaded: Health Minister Caroline Flint
A major relaxation of IVF rules was announced by ministers today.
The changes will make it easier for single people and lesbians to receive fertility treatment on the NHS.
The move, which is part of a shake-up of laws on the use of human tissues, will also allow the creation of " Frankenstein" embryos - human and animal cells mixed together - for medical research.
Under current laws, fertility clinics have to consider the baby's need for a father before providing treatment. But today's draft Human Tissue and Embryos Bill says this is no longer necessary.
The draft legislation bans couples from choosing the gender of their child. It also tightens the law on screening embryos for diseases, a subject of heated ethical debate as it could lead to parents aborting potentially unhealthy babies and see insurance companies refusing people with a genetic illness.
Permitting the use of hybrid embryos for medical research is a major Uturn by ministers.
Initially, the Government had come out against Frankenstein embryos, fearing a backlash from religious groups. Health Minister Caroline Flint said today she been persuaded by the arguments from the science communities and MPs.
Under the proposed laws, scientists will be allowed to create human-animal chimeras - human embryos that have been mixed with animal cells.
Sir David King, the Government's chief scientific adviser, said he welcomed the move: "I believe that the approach to the creation of embryos containing human and animal material is the right one."
Dr Stephen Minger, director of King's College Stem Cell Biology Laboratory, said: "This research is important because these stem cell lines could help us to understand what goes wrong in catastrophic neurological disorders like Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease."
Pro- life groups have reacted with anger to the draft bill. Josephine Quintavalle, of the campaign group Comment on Reproductive Ethics, said: "It is appalling that the government has bowed to pressure from the random collection of self-interested scientists and change its prohibitive stance.
Ms Flint defended the Government's change in attitude towards hybrid embryos saying medical advances had allowed "us to get in the place where we are now".
She said all the proposals would be subject to scrutiny by a joint parliamentary committee before being introduced as a bill.
Other measures in the draft legislation include:
• Banning couples from choosing the gender of their baby.
• Couples in same sex civil partnerships should have equal rights as parents in traditional marriages.
• The regulation of internet sperm services.
• Tightening of laws on screening embryos for genetic diseases.
• Allow donor conceived children to find out if they have donor conceived siblings.
The Government is also recommending a change to the rules over the use of frozen sperm and the issue of withdrawal of consent.
Reader views (8)
The laws of unintended consequence will surely beat us over the head if we continue down this path. Sometimes we are too smart for our own good...
- William Durgan, United States
Might have known Caroline Flint was involved. It comes as no surprise that she doesn't know ehat she is talking about.
- Dom, London
Allowing scientists to growth animal and human hybrid embryos will aid medical science research greatly. I think it's vital that the growth of these embryos happens and we should take it into consideration the fact that one day we could prevent disease that affects you or children.
- Mark, Clapham
Growing animal and human hybrid embryos is a truly worrying state of affairs. This is just not acceptable and it tantamounts to huimans playing God, which we shouldn't do. We can't mess with nature, leave things as they are intended to be.
- Nancy, East London
If this will help eliminate disease then I think the move to allow human and animal embryo growth is good. Providing it is monitored closely this can only bring about something good.
- Simon, Ealing
I don't like the idea of this at all. Although there have been guarantees that embryos will not grow bigger than a certain size, how can we actually verify the rules won't be abused? I think we're going down a slippery slope by allowing this.
- Adam, Tower Hill
I do not agree with this. Just because we can do something it doesn't mean we should, otherwise we'd all be going around murdering each other! I really think this is going a very big step too far in something which could have devastating concequences on us all as the human race.
- Kim, London
Yet again the establishment decides by itself what it will do with no regard to the citizens of the country. Hail the new 1984. This is not the first time and will no doubt not be the last. Congratulations to the so called elite.
- Don Wyatt, UK
