Public consulted over embryo work
Wednesday, 25 April 2007

UK regulators have launched a public consultation on whether scientists should be allowed to create human-animal hybrid embryos.

Ministers proposed outlawing such work after unfavourable public opinion.

But a recent report from the Science and Technology Committee warned a total ban was "unnecessarily prohibitive" and could harm UK science.

The Human Fertilisation and Embryo Authority (HFEA) will announce its final recommendations in the Autumn.

Applications by King's College London and the University of Newcastle for permission to produce embryos that would be 99.9% human and 0.1% animal have been sent to the HFEA, but have been put on hold. the rest