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5 September 2007
The Scottish Council on Human Bioethics (SCHB) indicated that it was extremely concerned about the decision, published today, by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority to support the creation of animal-human hybrids.
The SCHB is also critical of the content matter of the report. In this respect, Dr Calum MacKellar, Director of Research of the SCHB indicated "This HFEA report is very 'light' on ethics" adding "it is extremely worrying that such an influential committee as this does not appropriately address the ethical issues."
The SCHB is of the opinion that the new report is also biased towards many scientists and the warning from the bioscience industry that the UK should not lose its place as a world leader in this field. But the SCHB is very concerned with this argument. In this regard, Dr. MacKellar said "at a time when we are celebrating the abolition of the UK slave trade, and putting ethical arguments before economic ones, it is very sad that the present HFEA report is doing the reverse." Adding "since when did the scientific perspective ‘trump’ all other views in a democratic society?"
Millions of people in the UK believe that human embryos cannot just be considered as piles of cells. Instead, they believe that they may be invested with either (1) full moral status or (2) a special moral status. For these people, the creation of embryonic animal-human combinations for destructive research would give rise to entities of uncertain status. And until their moral status can be adequately resolved, these individuals suggest that such entities should be given the benefit of the doubt. In other words, the creation and destruction of these inter-species embryos may be considered as extremely offensive. Something similar to the creation of human infants for destructive biomedical research.
In this respect, Dr. MacKellar indicated that "from an ethical perspective, the deep offence arising in millions of UK citizens by the creation and destruction of animal-human embryos cannot be compensated by the uncertain advantages perceived by those who believe that such research may give rise to treatments for biological disorders."
In addition, the SCHB notes that it is because the creation of human or animal-human embryos for destructive research is considered to be deeply offensive and unethical in almost all continental European states that scientists undertaking such research would, most probably, end-up in prison in countries such as France, Germany and Italy.