In search of cures for incurable diseases, British scientists have created 155 embryos with mixed genetic material - from animals and people. This information came as a result of a request issued by an independent parliamentarian, Lord Elton
Since the entry into force of the Human Fertilization and Embryology Act (2008), three laboratories - at King's College London, Newcastle University and the University of Warwick - have been licensed to carry out such research activities. According to the researchers, this provides an opportunity to obtain embryonic stem cells that can be used to fight a number of serious and still untreatable diseases.
It is reported that the creation of hybrids is currently on hold due to lack of funding, but scientists hope to continue experiments in the future.
Lord Elton is a staunch opponent of the creation of beast-human hybrids and demands that such practice be banned "for reasons of principle." He calls the appeals of scientists to the lofty goal of creating drugs "emotional blackmail."
Josephine Quintavall, a spokeswoman for the anti-abortion group Comment on Reproductive Ethics, is unhappy with the secrecy of the hybrid work: "If they are proud of what they are doing, why do we have to submit a parliamentary inquiry to be made aware of this?"
Recently, a group of leading scientists came out with a demand to legally prohibit the transfer of human traits to animals, "for example, by introducing human stem cells into the brain of primates," the newspaper continues.
As for the discussed hybrids, they do not bother activists, since, according to the law, they must be destroyed at two weeks of age. "The purpose of these experiments is to learn more about the early stages of human development and to develop treatments for serious diseases, and as a scientist, I think it is morally imperative to continue this research," lead author of the report, Professor Robin, told The Daily Mail. Lovell-Badge of the National Institute for Medical Research at the British Medical Research Council.
