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| Hybrid embryo work 'under threat' | Hybrid embryo work 'under threat' |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| UK scientists planning to mix human and animal cells in order to research cures for degenerative diseases fear their work will be halted. | UK scientists planning to mix human and animal cells in order to research cures for degenerative diseases fear their work will be halted. |
| They accuse the body that grants licences for embryo research, the HFEA, of bowing to government pressure if it fails to consider their applications. | They accuse the body that grants licences for embryo research, the HFEA, of bowing to government pressure if it fails to consider their applications. |
| Ministers proposed outlawing such work after unfavourable public opinion. | Ministers proposed outlawing such work after unfavourable public opinion. |
| The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority is to discuss if two research requests come under its remit. | The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority is to discuss if two research requests come under its remit. |
| To shut this down at the moment is a real affront to patients Stem cell scientist Professor Chris Shaw Why create chimeras? | To shut this down at the moment is a real affront to patients Stem cell scientist Professor Chris Shaw Why create chimeras? |
| The creation of hybrid human-animal embryos was first suggested as a way of addressing the shortage of human eggs available for research. | The creation of hybrid human-animal embryos was first suggested as a way of addressing the shortage of human eggs available for research. |
| But the HFEA says it is unresolved whether this type of controversial work is permissible under existing laws - or even whether it falls under the HFEA's jurisdiction to grant a licence. | But the HFEA says it is unresolved whether this type of controversial work is permissible under existing laws - or even whether it falls under the HFEA's jurisdiction to grant a licence. |
| The resulting embryos made are more than 99% human, with a small animal component. | The resulting embryos made are more than 99% human, with a small animal component. |
| Opponents say this is tampering with nature and is unethical. | Opponents say this is tampering with nature and is unethical. |
| The researchers have called for greater understanding of what they are trying to achieve. | The researchers have called for greater understanding of what they are trying to achieve. |
| Public opposition | Public opposition |
| The public was consulted on hybrid embryo work among other issues for an overhaul of outdated laws on fertility treatments and embryo research. | The public was consulted on hybrid embryo work among other issues for an overhaul of outdated laws on fertility treatments and embryo research. |
| Ministers felt the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990 needed to be updated as science has moved on significantly. | Ministers felt the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990 needed to be updated as science has moved on significantly. |
| The new white paper says scientists will be able to push forward research in some areas, such as altering the genetic structure of cells that make embryos. | The new white paper says scientists will be able to push forward research in some areas, such as altering the genetic structure of cells that make embryos. |
| But government proposes prohibiting them from making human-animal hybrids or so-called "chimeras" - where genetic material is taken from humans and put it into a host animal egg. | But government proposes prohibiting them from making human-animal hybrids or so-called "chimeras" - where genetic material is taken from humans and put it into a host animal egg. |
| That is then allowed to grow to a very early embryo stage in the lab as a source of stem cells for research. | That is then allowed to grow to a very early embryo stage in the lab as a source of stem cells for research. |
| 'Hybrids' | 'Hybrids' |
| Scientists are hopeful that studies on stem cells - immature cells that can become many types of tissue - could lead to greater understanding and even a cure for many diseases, including Alzheimer's. | Scientists are hopeful that studies on stem cells - immature cells that can become many types of tissue - could lead to greater understanding and even a cure for many diseases, including Alzheimer's. |
| They say using human-animal mixes rather than human eggs to get the stem cells makes sense because human eggs are in short supply, plus the process is less cumbersome and yields better results. | They say using human-animal mixes rather than human eggs to get the stem cells makes sense because human eggs are in short supply, plus the process is less cumbersome and yields better results. |
| Professor Chris Shaw from Kings College London, along with his colleague Dr Stephen Minger, has applied for a licence for stem cell work on Motor Neurone Disease. | |
| We hope that the HFEA has found this is one hurdle too many and they are not prepared to jump over it Josephine Quintavalle of CORE ethics | We hope that the HFEA has found this is one hurdle too many and they are not prepared to jump over it Josephine Quintavalle of CORE ethics |
| He said: "To shut this down at the moment is a real affront to patients. We do not have a single drug that makes a difference to the disease course." | He said: "To shut this down at the moment is a real affront to patients. We do not have a single drug that makes a difference to the disease course." |
| Dr Minger, who hopes to look at the genetic causes of conditions like Parkinson's disease, said he had been told that the HFEA was unlikely to grant his application. | Dr Minger, who hopes to look at the genetic causes of conditions like Parkinson's disease, said he had been told that the HFEA was unlikely to grant his application. |
| A second team of scientists, led by Professor Lyle Armstrong at Newcastle University, has applied to research how different tissues grow in the body. | A second team of scientists, led by Professor Lyle Armstrong at Newcastle University, has applied to research how different tissues grow in the body. |
| Dr Evan Harris MP, Liberal Democrat member of the Science and Technology Select Committee, warned there would be fierce opposition from scientists and parliamentarians to any draft bill which included such a ban. | Dr Evan Harris MP, Liberal Democrat member of the Science and Technology Select Committee, warned there would be fierce opposition from scientists and parliamentarians to any draft bill which included such a ban. |
| Scientific progress | Scientific progress |
| An HFEA spokesman said: "We need to decide whether the law prohibits this research, whether it falls under our remit at all, and then we can look at whether we have a fundamental view on this type of research. | An HFEA spokesman said: "We need to decide whether the law prohibits this research, whether it falls under our remit at all, and then we can look at whether we have a fundamental view on this type of research. |
| "We have a duty to consider any application put before us." | "We have a duty to consider any application put before us." |
| If the HFEA decides it is outside its remit, the scientists will not legally need a licence to continue with their work. | If the HFEA decides it is outside its remit, the scientists will not legally need a licence to continue with their work. |
| A spokesman for the Department of Health stressed that the new law, which still needs to be debated in Parliament, would contain a clause allowing for the possibility that this type of work should be permitted in the future. | A spokesman for the Department of Health stressed that the new law, which still needs to be debated in Parliament, would contain a clause allowing for the possibility that this type of work should be permitted in the future. |
| Josephine Quintavalle, of CORE ethics, said: "This is creating an animal-human hybrid and that has to be acknowledged as something that does not meet with approval. | Josephine Quintavalle, of CORE ethics, said: "This is creating an animal-human hybrid and that has to be acknowledged as something that does not meet with approval. |
| "We hope that the HFEA has found this is one hurdle too many and they are not prepared to jump over it." | "We hope that the HFEA has found this is one hurdle too many and they are not prepared to jump over it." |