MOVES to create human-animal embryos in Britain for medical research would breach cultural barriers and leave many people feeling uneasy about medical research, local experts have warned. British researchers have been given the all-clear to begin inter-species research, in which human DNA is iWected into cells derived from animals. The result would be a hybrid embryo containing mainly human genetic material that would be allowed to develop to a stage where stem cells could be harvested. Human-animal embryo research is banned in Australia, France, Germany and Italy. Medical ethicist Nick TontiFilippini said: “It is the sort of thing that brings medical research into disrepute, the idea of creating a creature that is part-human and part-animal. “This raises the horrible prospect of breaching the human-animal barrier. “It has a high yuck factor.” He said the British push came about because British researchers found it difficult to get eggs from women to use in research. He questioned how relevant any findings would be because the embryos could never be transferred to an animal or human and experiments could only occur at a cellular level. British Prime Minister Gordon Brown allowed MPs a conscience vote. His youngest son, Fraser, aged almost two, has cystic fibrosis, a disease that could benefit from embryo research. –

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