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Animal-human hybrid embryos are unethical and unnecessary
| The following is a response from Dr
Donald Bruce, of the Church's Society Religion and
Technology Project (SRTP), about human-animal hybrid
embryos: |
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The Church of Scotland welcomes the decision by the Human
Fertilisation and Embryology Authority to have a full
public debate and consultation on whether to license research
on human-animal hybrid embryos. The Church’s General
Assembly is not opposed to all research involving embryonic
stem cells, but its has expressly opposed to research
involving the creation of human-animal ‘hybrid’
cloned embryos.
Christian teaching on compassion for the sick welcomes
and indeed stimulates scientific research in medicine,
but always within moral limits. Some experiments, no
matter how medically useful, would be unethical. Research
with animal-human cloned embryos would breach moral
norms. It is highly speculative scientifically, decades
from any clinical application, and other methods exist
to the same end. It is both unethical and unnecessary.
Here is a proper limit for research.
Not an ethical solution
The 2006 General Assembly debated stem cells at length
and accepted that the creation of cloned embryos using
human eggs might be justified under very exceptional cases.
The isolation of diseased cells to study motor neurone
disease might be one such case. But the 2002 and 2006
Assemblies both rejected the use of animal eggs to create
hybrid cloned embryos.
The cross-species admixture of reproductive cells poses
significant ethical concerns. Even though only 1% of
animal material is involved, it is still a form of hybridisation.
Contrary to some claims by scientists, the UK law requires
that a human embryo be given more respect than merely
cells in a petri dish. It is hard to see what respect
is being shown in creating an embryo, purely to extract
cells from it, which is both a hybrid of human and animal,
and which is thereby so disrupted that it could never
be viable.
We also hold that humans and animals, though having
many similarities, are nonetheless different in more
than just the biological distinctions among species.
To create chimeric reproductive entities of mixed status,
even if non-viable, would breach the distinction between
human and animal more fundamentally than acceptable
examples like a sheep expressing a single human gene
in its milk, or a functioning pig kidney inside a human
body. Here is a line not to be crossed.
Unnecessary
It is also unnecessary, scientifically very uncertain
and potentially risky. We are inclined to agree with the
2000 Chief Medical Officer’s committee’s review
of stem cell research, which formed the basis of current
UK legislation, that "the use of eggs from a non-human
species to carry a human nucleus was not a realistic or
desirable solution to the lack of human eggs for research."
Having reviewed the evidence so far, the HFEA conclude
that “there is not clear agreement within the scientific
community about the need for and benefits of this science.”
When the motor neurone disease research was proposed
in 2004 the scientists gave no indication of needing
hybrid embryos. Hitherto researchers have considered
that human eggs are sufficient for this kind of experiment.
Trying to reprogramme human cells back to an embryonic
state using animal eggs is even more doubtful than is
cloning with human eggs. Mixing species would introduce
uncertainties as to the validity for use of the cells
produced. It also runs against the current trend to
eliminate animal ‘feeder’ cells in the generation
of embryonic stem cell lines.
Not ‘delaying cures’
The claim that to deny such experiments would delay cures
for terminal diseases is irresponsible and unjustified.
Delay might be a significant factor if this was a near
certain therapeutic method, where animal cells alone would
give the missing breakthrough. In this case, it is basic
research of uncertain outcome, many years, perhaps decades,
from clinical application, and about which other scientists
raise substantial technical doubts.
We are concerned more generally at premature expectations
about stem cell research being raised by these kinds
of claims, especially following the Korean cloning scandal.
Ends
11 January 2007
nr/02/01/07
Note to news desks
For further information please contact senior media relations
officer Grant McLennan on 0131 240 2204 or email gmclennan@cofscotland.org.uk
More information about the SRTP is available online
here or click here to visit
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