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Unethical Experiments Continue To Raise Public Revulsion

UNITED KINGDOM, July 8, 2003 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Human fertility scientists
are coming under increased pressure to rein in the work of unethical researchers after two studies presented in Madrid at the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology's annual meeting raised public ire.

Both of the studies, one involving the creation of bizarre hybrid human embryos and the other advocating the use of eggs from aborted babies for fertility treatments, brought the ethical crisis around human embryonic stem cell research into vivid relief and resulted in alarming headlines across the world. Paul Serhal, director of the assisted conception unit at University College London, said fertility research was facing a critical question: "How do we prevent people doing monstrous things?"

The crisis highlighted the lack of adequate restrictions on stem cell research. "The country you most need to regulate is the one that's least likely to accept regulation: the United States," said fertility expert Robert Winston at Hammersmith hospital, west London. Federal funding of embryo research is prohibited in the Unites States, but there are currently few other restrictions with research being left to private clinics and research institutes governed by a patchwork of state laws. The American team which created the he-she hybrid human embryos in Chicago had no problem getting ethical approval for their atrocious study.

The Human Fertility and Embryology Authority in the UK claims that it would
have banned both the problematic experiments, but even in the UK, private clinics have been flouting fertility guidelines without being penalized. "They aren't even being threatened with having their licenses taken away," said Allan Templeton of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.

See Guardian coverage:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/genes/article/0,2763,992053,00.html

See Previous Lifesite Coverage:
U.S. Scientists Create Part Male Part Female Human Embryos
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2003/jul/03070303.html
Scientists Push Using Aborted Babies' Eggs for In Vitro Fertilization
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2003/jul/03070101.html

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