Article: Inquiry into hybrid embryos ; Regulator refuses to rule out research on human-animal eggs

PLANS to create controversial human-animal embryos moved a step closer today.

The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority refused to outlaw the research, and said it is to hold a full public inquiry into the issue before deciding whether to approve it.

Two teams of British researchers have applied for licences to create the embryos by taking genetic material from human cells and putting it into host eggs from an animal such as a cow or rabbit.

The researchers hope to avoid the ethical problems of tampering with human life by using these "chimera" embryos to grow stem cells to study in the search for cures for incurable diseases such as Alzheimer's.

The embryos would be more than 99 ...

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