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The UK has approved the use of human-animal embryo research. The hybrid will be 99.9% human and 0.1% animal (unlike Lyon (Bob) who is 99.9% animal and 0.1% human).


Human-animal embryo research approved 05 September 2007

Regulators decided on Wednesday to permit in principle the creation of hybrid human-animal embryos for research into illnesses such as Parkinson's, Motor Neurone Disease and Alzheimer's.

The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) agreed to allow a specific kind of inter-species hybrid, where human DNA is injected into a hollowed out animal egg cell, a spokeswoman for the regulator said.

The resulting "cytoplastic hybrid" embryo, or "cybrid" would be 99.9 percent human and 0.1 percent animal.

Two teams of British scientists have applied to the HFEA for permission to create such hybrids to overcome a shortage of donated human eggs.

Their applications have been on hold for nearly a year, awaiting the outcome of a public consultation by the HFEA.

The researchers hope to use the hybrid embryos, which must be destroyed after 14 days, to create stem cells to help find new medical treatments for degenerative diseases.

"This is not a total green light for cytoplasmic hybrid research, but recognition that this area of research can, with caution and careful scrutiny, be permitted," the HFEA said of Wednesday's decision.

The HFEA will now consider the two research applications in the coming months.

Opponents say mixing even a tiny amount of human genetic material with that of an animal is unnatural and wrong.

Scientists in China, the United States and Canada have already carried out similar work.

The HFEA regulators deferred a decision on other types of human-animal embryos, such as "true hybrids", created by the fusion of a human sperm and an animal egg, and "human chimeras", where human cells are injected into animal embryos.

This was because there was no evidence that scientists are at present considering using such hybrids in research.

The regulators considered findings from their consultation which included an opinion poll of more than 2,000 people.

The survey found people supported the creation of the kind of hybrid embryos proposed by the two research teams, but only when they were given a reason for the experiments.

A majority of those asked -- 61 percent -- gave their backing if the hybrids would help understand some diseases.

That support fell to 35 percent if the hybrids were being created purely for non-specific research.

Source: Yahoo! News Copyright © 2007 Yahoo! All rights reserved.(05/09/07)

When I was a little girl, there was a series of movies called "The Fly".

The guy that got put in the machine and ended up with some fly genes was pretty pathetic looking with his "fly" face and extended claw.

This makes no sense to me that 0.1 animal has to be added to the egg. What is the purpose of this??

gwa

Actually, most women who know me well consider me 100% animal. Truth be told, the shiny shirts and dodgy mustache are my attempts to avoid the constant solicitation.

Nothing more nor nothing less than making the smallest of changes to skirt the letter of the law.

This brings another book to mind, The Island of Dr. Moreau. Probably the thought this brings to most people's minds is "I think I'd rather deal with unrestricted use of embryonic stem cells" and that's probably EXACTLY the sentiment the people involved in this are after.

Bob