http://en.rian.ru/world/20080520/107840229.html
Britain divided over backing for human-animal embryo creation
LONDON, May 20 (RIA Novosti) - The approval by Britain's parliament of the
creation of human-animal embryos for scientific research met with mixed
reactions from the country's media on Tuesday.
The plans were approved on Monday-Tuesday after parliament defeated an
amendment to ban inter-species experiments by 336 votes to 176 after hours of
late night discussion and debate pitting religious leaders and Catholic MPs
against scientists and leading politicians. The research under debate involves
injecting human DNA into cells derived from animals.
Britain's Human Fertilization and Embryology law was drafted in 1990.
"If we want to sustain stem cell research and bring new cures and treatments to
millions of people, I believe admixed embryos are necessary," British Prime
Minister Gordon Brown had earlier argued in an article in the Observer
newspaper.
However, religious leaders said that the creation of human-animal embryos was
immoral. The head of the Catholic Church in Scotland, Cardinal Keith O'Brien,
said in parliament that such experiments were akin to "Frankenstein" science.
Conservative MP Edward Leigh said during the heated debate that, "We are like
children playing with land mines without any concept of the dangers of the
technology that we are handling."
However, scientists have defended the research, saying that the embryos would
be developed for no more than 14 days, and would do much to put an end to a
lack of human embryos for stem cell research.
The Daily Telegraph was of the opinion that parliament's approval meant that
Britain would now become a world leader in stem cell research.
The Daily Mail however said it was "a huge step into the unknown," with untold
moral and religious consequences. The tabloids The Mirror and The Sun were in
favor, saying it was a victory for progress. The Times cautioned that the
creation of the embryos would not "lead to immediate medical breakthroughs."
In a separate vote, parliament also decided to permit parents of children with
serious diseases to use in-vitro fertilization to select "savior siblings" able
to act as donors for transplants for their sick brothers and sisters.
Supporters claim that this will help children unable to locate matching tissue
donors. However, critics are concerned about the effect this could have on the
lives of children born solely to improve a sibling's health. This could be a
particular concern if the treatment is unsuccessful, they say.
The embryology debate is due to continue on Tuesday with members of parliament
scheduled to vote on the requirement for IVF clinics to take into consideration
a child's need for a father by replacing the wording to 'supportive parent.' A
scrapping of these considerations would ease current restrictions on lesbian
couples and single women.
Abortion laws are also up for review on Tuesday. A number of MPs are looking to
lower the 24-week time limit.
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