The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill 2007-8
Briefings from the Christian Medical Fellowship
Background
Human embryonic stem cells were first isolated in 1999, and in theory (but not in practice), despite the ethical objections, have enormous potential for producing replacement tissues for therapy. In 2001 legislation permitted so-called 'therapeutic' cloning for deriving human ESCs matched to the donor, (incidentally, the Bill risks inadvertently removing the current ban on 'reproductive' cloning' – implanting a cloned embryo into a woman), but women's eggs for 'therapeutic' cloning are in short supply because of the risks of obtaining them. Two licence applications have been granted to use animal eggs and replace the nucleus with a full complement of human nuclear genetic material. There would be animal DNA in the cytoplasm, and such hybrid entities have been christened 'cytoplasmic hybrids' or 'cybrids'.
In 2005 the Department of Health consulted the public on the future of the HFEA and included a question about animal-human hybrids. In December 2006 the DH rejected hybrids because the public were opposed, but from January 2007 there has been an orchestrated campaign to overturn this. Last February the Commons Science and Technology Committee concluded in favour, and in August the Joint scrutiny committee advocated both 'cybrids' and 'true hybrids'. The government has gone further and using the new terminology of 'admixed embryos' is now advocating:
- 'True' hybrids – embryos from mixing human and animal gametes
- 'Cytoplasmic hybrids' – human nucleus into enucleated animal egg
- Human transgenic embryos – human embryos + animal DNA
- Human-animal chimera embryos – human embryo + animal cells
Are hybrids necessary?
Although in theory ESCs have the most potential to turn into different kinds of tissue, in practice this has not been harnessed clinically. Tumour formation is common, and there are no clinical benefits in existence from ESCs. Many researchers are abandoning the field in favour of ethically non-controversial 'adult' stem cells, derived from non-embryonic sources. In late November, two separate groups announced success in reprogramming adult skin cells so that they behaved just like ESCs, thus rendering these controversial proposals obsolete, overtaken by events.
CMF argues that hybrids of any kind undermine human dignity, damage important concepts of historicity and lineage, change the nature of relationship within families, and from a specifically Christian point of view insult the 'image of God' (Genesis 1:26-28; 9:5-6) and breach the prohibition on mixing 'kinds' (Genesis 1:11, 12, 21, 24, 25; 7:2-3; Leviticus 19:19). And does the end justify the means? (Romans 3:8)
Amendment lost in the Lords –
A proposed ban on all hybrids was lost by 96 to 268
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