British parliament has debated an issue other governments around the world have not dared to touch. “Make no mistake; what we are doing this afternoon is unique.” Creating a legal framework for scientific research that allows the creation of hybrid embryos, made from human and animal genetic material. Passionate opponents call it Frankenstein science. “If an embryo could talk perhaps it would echo what Mary Shelley did say in Frankenstein, “I the miserable and the abandoned am an abortion to be spermed out and kicked and trampled on.”” But it has dedicated supporters too. “The use of animal eggs will provide a valuable resource to embryo research scientists.” British Prime Minister Gordon Brown feels so strongly about the benefits of this controversial science he wrote a newspaper column describing it as an inherently moral endeavor.
Man and Animal embryo – latest technology to save humanity
The process involves emptying an animal egg and filling it with human cells. The resulting embryo is allowed to develop for 14 days while stem cells are harvested before being destroyed. Scientists hope working with those cells will lead to treatments for serious conditions like Motor Neuron, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. And they argue using hybrids overcomes the shortage of human embryos. Lawmakers were allowed to vote according to conscience. The legislation passed comfortably.
Parliament also considered another ethnically charged issue known as [Save your Siblings]. That’s where parents seek to have a child who is well and a genetic match for a sick sibling so they can give their brother or sister tissues or even organs. It’s a technique that may have saved [Charlie Whittaker]’s life. He suffers from a rare form of Anemia so his parents travelled to America for embryo screening. The result was [Jamie] who donated bone marrow to his big brother. “I couldn’t make my own blood sells and [Jamie] gave me his and it helped me make my own.” Critics say it’s breeding children for spare parts but the legislation passed.
Politicians have two more tough votes Tuesday whether to reduce the upper time limit for abortion from 24 weeks and whether current law should change to allow lesbian couples and single women equal access to in-vitro fertilization. Phil Black CNN, London