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Hybrid embryos could be created within months

Last updated at 23:52pm on 05.09.07

Hybrid embryos containing both human and animal material could be created in British laboratories within months.

The controversial research was given a green light yesterday by the UK's fertility regulator.

A shortage of human eggs led scientists to seek permission to make hybrid embryos from human skin cells and animal eggs such as those from cows, which are plentiful in slaughterhouses.

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Research: An embryo created in a laboratory

Two teams of scientists are poised to start making cow-human hybrids for research into incurable diseases, with at least one project expected to start by the end of the year.

Stem cell expert Dr Stephen Minger, who wants to use the embryos to study conditions such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and motor neurone disease, said the work could "revolutionise drug discovery".

But the decision by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority is likely to be subject to a High Court challenge, with opponents claiming the watchdog is not entitled to rule on the issue.

Josephine Quintavalle, of the campaign group Comment on Reproductive Ethics, said last night: "There is a sense from some people that scientists should never be stopped in their tracks.

"Reproduction with animals has been taboo since the beginning of recorded time and that taboo has remained with us for a reason.

"This is tampering at a very basic level."

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Quest: Stephen Minger

Britain is one of the first Western countries to approve such research.

The creation of hybrid embryos is banned in Australia and many European countries but experiments have been carried out in the Far East and the research is allowed in Canada.

The process involves removing the genetic material from the animal egg and replacing it with human DNA.

After being kick-started by an electric current, the egg would develop into an embryo from which stem cells - the body's master cells - can be harvested.

Such cells would be made available to scientists around the world to study the causes of disease and develop potential treatments.

The embryos, known as cytoplasmic, would be more than 99 per cent human.

They would have to be destroyed after 14 days and could not be implanted into women.

Scientists' hopes of using such hybrids were initially jeopardised by plans to outlaw such research under a shake-up of the ageing fertility laws.

But in May, Ministers dramatically changed their minds, with a draft bill approving the creation of hybrids for research into serious diseases as long as it is carried out by scientists licensed by the HFEA.

Yesterday, the HFEA, which is being asked to rule on two applications by scientists before the new law comes into force, approved the creation of hybrids in principle.

The final go-ahead on applications from researchers at King's College, London, and the North East Stem Cell Institute in Newcastle will rest with the authority's licence committee, due to meet in November.

Should it approve the applications, the research in Newcastle is likely to start almost immediately, while the London scientists hope to conduct their first experiments next summer.

The highly complex and labour-intensive nature of the process means that thousands of cow eggs could be used over many months to create just one hybrid embryo.

Critics say there is little evidence such intricate work will yield results and vehemently oppose the destruction of embryos that will be an inevitable part of the experiments.

Comment on Reproductive Ethics is considering a legal challenge based on the belief that the wording of current fertility laws does not give the HFEA the right to rule on the issue.

Anthony Ozimic, of the Society for Unborn Children, said there were 'grave ethical and moral objections' to the research.

"All the evidence suggests these embryos are essentially human," he said. "Yet, they will be cannibalised and killed for their stem cells.

"Patients with degenerative diseases are being exploited.

"They and their families are being sold lies and false hope by the profit-hungry biotech industry."

But Dr Minger, of King's College London, says the work is an essential part of the quest to find new drugs and therapies for devastating illnesses.

He said: "Our techniques could be also be used for various forms of cancer, for cystic fibrosis, for muscular dystrophy.

"If I was someone with Alzheimer's disease, I would say: 'What are they worrying about?'.

"The research is going to be tightly regulated by the HFEA. No cows are going to be killed, the cell lines are only going to be used for research and the embryos aren't going to be implanted."

Dr Belinda Cupid, of the Motor Neurone Disease Association, said: "There is currently no cure for motor neurone disease but allowing the use of hybrid embryos in research may revolutionise future treatment of the disease and other degenerative neurological conditions.

"The case for the use of human-animal hybrid embryos in stem cell research is compelling as it holds the potential to save lives."

The HFEA says a consultation showed the public were "at ease" with the idea when told it could pave the way for therapies for conditions such as Alzheimer's.

Although the embryos are sometimes called chimeras, after the monstrous creatures in Greek mythology, they are technically hybrids.

Chimeras contain two types of cell - one from each "parent" - while the hybrids have only one, in which the genetic material is mixed.

Reader views (28)

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This experiment has huge potential. If it proves successful than humanity will have cures for diseases that we currently cannot stop. If this experiment is denied by the government then we will be missing a step forward in technology.

- Artemis, Florida, 30/06/2008 01:11
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I think it's appalling that when we have the technology and knowledge to investigate the potential of stem cells, this groundbreaking research is being held back because of a 'yuk factor' stemming from a select group of under-informed. Some comments accuse scientists of hyping up stem cell cures - the biggest problem here is opposition cries of 'frankenstein monsters' created against God's will. What right have they to impose contentious and irrational beliefs on others? This debate needs to be looked at objectively, assessing risks and benefits to the individual and society, morally and ethically, with religion removed from the equation.

- Lisbeth, Nottingham, UK, 19/11/2007 22:43
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This is disgusting and horribly wrong. Clint from Atlanta, Georgia obviously thinks that God is OK with this because he gave us the ability to do it. Clint couldn't be more wrong. God gives us free will and I bet God is more appalled by this behavior than anyone could ever be.

- Amy, Peoria, Arizona, 23/09/2007 18:03
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If it is so wrong with God then why would he allow us the ability to do it.

- Clint, Atlanta, GA, 21/09/2007 06:09
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In 1990 we were promised that allowing experiments on human embryos would lead to cures for many conditions. No cures have resulted, but thousands of tiny early human beings have been destroyed. The same would happen this time.
If the cybrids are human enough to be useful in experiments, they are human enough to deserve not to be treated as things.

- Tim, Bracknell, Berkshire, England, 13/09/2007 15:51
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Keep cows and people separate.

- Jo, Islington, 07/09/2007 11:02
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What has become of the UK's moral ethics. What is science that it thinks it can play God and breech the lines of what is right and wrong? If this goes ahead, they will open the doors of compromise and it will only be a matter of time before they start fertilising animal eggs with human sperm. What next? How far are they going to take this. Only time will tell.

- Wallace, London, 07/09/2007 09:44
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'For the first 5 days it will be predominantly rabbit, then it will gradually become more human'. This is not abracadabra but a published statement from a member of a Science Committee Meeting of the HFEA, describing what would happen if rabbit eggs were cloned with human adult cells. Don't you believe it when they say that the animal component is not important! This is very yucky stuff indeed, and absolutely unnecessary. We already have disease specific stem cells and we already have up and running stem cell cures.

- Mary, London, 06/09/2007 15:41
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Mankind has long been manipulating the substance of life to improve people's lives (e.g. organ transplants, IVF creating/destroying embryos). The proposed work has similar massive potential for benefits to humanity. So where's the problem?

- Don Anderson, Kent, WA, USA, 06/09/2007 11:49
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I am totally against the decision by HEFA to allow these experiments.
This is giving false hope to people with motor neurone disease, Alzheimers Disease etc. There is no evidence that such experiments will be successful and this costly work take money away from other ethically acceptable work. Work with adult stem cells has already proved successful in curing some diseases. There has been no such success with foetal stem cells nor will there be, I believe with these hybrids. The safety measures built in are not worth the paper. They have never stopped abuse in the past.

- Tony Hoey, Wisbech, Cambs, 06/09/2007 11:00
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This is disgusting. It devalues humanity.

- Michael Breslin, Liverpool UK, 06/09/2007 10:43
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It is utterly monstrous to embark on such a devious journey. Have these scientists no respect for human life? Surely it is madness to claim it is necessary to create these hybrids (embryos) in order to cure people, when they are deliberately creating, mutilating and killing other people in the process? (Because these embryos ARE people in their early form of life). We were all this tiny once!
Curing disease is a mask.
Profiteering is the game.
Pushing ethical boundaries to this degree is (to these kind of scientists) a perverse addiction, I believe.
We should all remember there are laws to protect children. Surely there should be laws to protect the unborn children also? Just because they're too small to have a voice and too tiny to defend themselves, doesn't mean some members of society should have the right to abuse them.

- Tatiana, Hereford, 06/09/2007 10:17
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The HFEA consulted with the public who expressed themselves "at ease" with the idea when told it could pave the way for therapies for degenerative neurological conditions. I presume that consultation was a very small element of the public. Now the idea has become reality will the public show the same level of support? Unfortunately I suspect the majority of the wider public will now demonstrate total apathy and this is where as a society we fail to protect those most vulnerable. Those who care will speak out with abhorrence of what has now been approved.

- Ian, Macclesfield, England, 06/09/2007 08:29
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This is the research under way in plain sight. I can only imagine the experiments done in secrecy on these issues by our country and others.

- Randy, Wilmington NC, 06/09/2007 03:03
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This is just sick! Surely we can not fall any lower in our morality as a nation?

- Simon, Buckinghamshire UK, 06/09/2007 00:33
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I have a deep human instinct that this is not acceptable, it is not all right to make animal/human hybrids, for any purpose. The reason there is a shortage of human eggs to make embryos for experimentation is because no thinking, loving woman would want her sons and daughters (because that is what embryos made from her eggs are) used for scientific experimentation.
What right have these irrelevant or vested interest people to make decisions, before parliament has had a chance to debate and vote? They have not been voted into their positions. What gives them the power to wrong-foot parliament?
I feel sickened.

- Gill Duval, High Wycombe, Bucks., 05/09/2007 23:51
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So...that little carrot of cures for Parkinsons and Alzheimers is being dangled in front of us again and for this, even research mixing humans and animals is acceptable?

We have been here before. The same arguments were used to license embryo research back in 1990 and for human cloning in 2001. Where, then, are all these much vaunted cures? Apparently, it is only ethical adult stem cell research which has actually borne fruit and provided treaments for various conditions - 70+ treatments in all I believe!

We are using human life as a commodity and it is not right. We are not animals and we were not meant to be part animal and part human. We are thinking, intellectual, loving beings and human life should be sacrosanct. Embryonic research involves killing life at its most vulnerable and it is warped thinking that seeks to justify this. Such thinking is aptly displayed by stem cell researcher, Dr Minger, when he states, "The research is going to be tightly regulated by the HFEA. No cows are going to be killed." Well - thank goodness for that. Never mind the humans, eh?

- Christine, Plymouth, 05/09/2007 23:28
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How can scientists 'use' hybrid embryos ethically is the whole basis of their actions is to create human life only to destroy it? This constitutes destructive experimentation for its own sake and no good will come of it. After all NO therapeutic treatments have resulted so far from the use of embryonic stem cells, whereas 73 have resulted from the use of stem cells from �adult� tissue, which does not involve the destruction of a human being. This is bad science, as well as being intrinsically evil. May God have mercy of this fallen nation.

- Dr Tom Rogers, Lincoln, UK, 05/09/2007 19:35
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It shows how low this country has fallen when disgraceful procedures such as making human/animal hybrids gets approval. The reason for allowing it is based on lies and false science. If I were younger I'd have left this country years ago, it has a future which is pleading for divine retributiion.

- Derek Jones, Deal Kent England, 05/09/2007 18:25
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They do not know what they are doing?!

- Jacqueline, Hampstead, London, 05/09/2007 17:12
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Decisions like this should not be made by an unelected quango. This is crossing a boundary which many people will find unacceptable. Claims that this is good news for patients is misleading. A scientist speaking on the radio yesterday said that it would be decades before this research "might" be found to be helpful in finding cures for patients but even then they certainly wouldn't implant any material derived from animal human hybrids. It's purely about scientists wanting to break new ground at the taxpayers expense.

- Julia, London, 05/09/2007 16:32
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Is that why the Home Office wants all our DNA? It is not right!

- Stevo, London, 05/09/2007 14:56
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There's a reason us minions have an instinctual response to ideas like this - well intentioned or not. It's called the 'yuk factor' and I think it's there to stop us deviating too far from nature.

- Isabel, Woking, England, 05/09/2007 14:20
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Why hasn't such a controversial procedure been determined by Parliament? It raises the question why we're paying for MPs' salaries when these kinds of decisions are taken by bureaucrats.

- Fre, London, UK, 05/09/2007 13:51
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This has been going on for years secretly. I am sure the bloke who sits next to me in work is a human/monkey chimera judiciously shaved and dressed in a polo shirt and chinos.

- Squiz, Islington, 05/09/2007 13:18
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Part human, part cow... surely this is merely an attempt to clone a politician.

- Dereck, London, 05/09/2007 12:49
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This is dangerous. Where is a government when we need one to control this?

- Georgie, London, 05/09/2007 10:59
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