Frankie Spano
07-05-2003, 06:43 PM
MADRID, Spain, July 2 — Scientists in the United States have created hybrid human “she-males,” mixing male and female cells in the same embryo, in a move that has outraged fertility experts and anti-abortionists
Researchers combine male and female cells into one embryo
DR. NORBERT GLEICHER of the Foundation for Reproductive Medicine in Chicago and a colleague injected male cells into female embryos in research which they believe could lead to better treatments or cures for single gene disorders.
But their work provoked revulsion when they presented it to the annual meeting of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology in Madrid, Spain.
“There are very good reasons why this type of research is generally rejected by the international research community,” Dr Francoise Shenfield of ESHRE said on Wednesday.
The future of genetics
• Look into our crystal ball of genetic developments over the next 50 years.
“I cannot conceive of any situation in which this particular technique would be acceptable, and if it cannot be applied there is not much use in experimenting with it,” she added.
Gleicher and his colleague used male cells because they were easier to track as they studied the development of the embryos up to six days.
Their work also sparked outrage from abortion opponents who described it as run-away science.
“This is gross manipulation of human life,” said Nuala Scarisbrick of the British anti-abortion group Life. “The creation of a ‘she-male’ is disgusting, but not surprising.”
Gleicher’s study was not the only research presented during the four-day conference which enraged pro-life groups.
An Israeli scientist who said eggs retrieved from aborted fetuses could relieve the worldwide shortage of human eggs for fertility treatments also stoked fears that science was advancing before legal and ethical consequences could be considered.
-MSNBC NEWS
© 2003 Reuters Limited.
Researchers combine male and female cells into one embryo
DR. NORBERT GLEICHER of the Foundation for Reproductive Medicine in Chicago and a colleague injected male cells into female embryos in research which they believe could lead to better treatments or cures for single gene disorders.
But their work provoked revulsion when they presented it to the annual meeting of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology in Madrid, Spain.
“There are very good reasons why this type of research is generally rejected by the international research community,” Dr Francoise Shenfield of ESHRE said on Wednesday.
The future of genetics
• Look into our crystal ball of genetic developments over the next 50 years.
“I cannot conceive of any situation in which this particular technique would be acceptable, and if it cannot be applied there is not much use in experimenting with it,” she added.
Gleicher and his colleague used male cells because they were easier to track as they studied the development of the embryos up to six days.
Their work also sparked outrage from abortion opponents who described it as run-away science.
“This is gross manipulation of human life,” said Nuala Scarisbrick of the British anti-abortion group Life. “The creation of a ‘she-male’ is disgusting, but not surprising.”
Gleicher’s study was not the only research presented during the four-day conference which enraged pro-life groups.
An Israeli scientist who said eggs retrieved from aborted fetuses could relieve the worldwide shortage of human eggs for fertility treatments also stoked fears that science was advancing before legal and ethical consequences could be considered.
-MSNBC NEWS
© 2003 Reuters Limited.