British researchers create human-animal hybrid embryo amid political row

[LiberalNation]

Cool.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080401...knx56QHrx34T0D

LONDON (AFP) - For the first time in Britain, researchers at Newcastle University said Tuesday they had created human-animal hybrid embryos, amid a political row over a disputed embryo research bill in parliament.

According to the northern English university, the research, which was first presented at a lecture in Tel Aviv on March 25, has yet to be published or verified, with a spokesman for the university telling AFP that the institution "wouldn't claim it to be final at all."

The revelation comes with British MPs engaged in a fierce battle over the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill, which allows the creation of human-animal hybrid embryos for medical research.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown's governing Labour Party conceded in March that its party lawmakers with moral or ethical objections would be allowed to vote against parts of the proposed legislation when it comes before parliament this year.

The embryos were created by injecting DNA taken from human skin cells into eggs derived from cow ovaries with almost all their genetic material stripped away, and lasted for three days in a laboratory.

[hjmick]

That's just weird. Can you say "Island of Doctor Moreau?"

[diuretic]

I heard a discussion on this on the BBC World Service and old HG Wells book came to mind, but apparently there's no chance of it happening. It was an interesting discussion though, a Labour MP on one side and a science commentator on the other. Looks like Brown is giving a conscience vote on it, probably just as well, politically speaking.