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LONDON, Sept 5, 2007 (AFP) - Britain's fertility regulator decided in principle Wednesday to allow scientists to create human-animal hybrid embryos for research purposes.
The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) gave the go-ahead to controversial plans to create "cytoplasmic" embryos, which merge human cells with eggs from animals such as cattle.
Applications to proceed from researchers at Newcastle University in northeast England and King's College London can now be appraised by a licence committee in November.
Scientists argue such research could pave the way for therapies for diseases like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's.
An HFEA consultation found that people were "at ease" with the proposals once the possible implications had been explained.
"It does seem a little abhorrent at first analysis, but you have to understand we are using very, very little information from the cow in order to do this reprogramming idea," said Doctor Lyle Armstrong, of Newcastle University, according to the BBC.
"It's not our intention to create any bizarre cow-human hybrid, we want to use those cells to understand how to make human stem cells better."
The research involves transferring nuclei containing DNA from human cells to animal eggs that have had nearly all their genetic information removed.
The resulting embryos are therefore mostly human, with a small animal component.
Stem cells, which can grow into different kinds of tissue, are then formed.
The embryos could give researchers a large supply of stem cells to work with.
Scientists have had to rely on human eggs left over from fertility treatment, which are in short supply and often poor quality.
Doctor Evan Harris, science spokesman for the opposition Liberal Democrats, co-ordinated the campaign of scientific groups to allow hybrid embryo research.
"This is good news for patients, the public and UK science," he said of the HFEA's verdict.
"Our top-class researchers can now proceed with their applications to conduct this world-leading research.
"The message to the government is also clear -- that they should stop trying to use legislation to block some forms of hybrid embryo research and instead allow the HFEA to consider each application on its merits."
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