RubySoho
Winston
UK Parliament Votes On Hybrid Stem Cell Research. Score: Science 1, Catholic Church 0
May 21st 2008 07:41
An innocent embryo? Or a 21st century Frankenstein's monster?
In a previous post Holy Cow! Is It A Man Or A Bull?. I discussed the introduction of legislation in the UK that would allow the creation of hybrid embryos for stem cell research. The process involves injecting human sperm into cow ovaries with the resulting embryos kept for up to 14 days to harvest stem cells for the purpose of scientific studies into diseases such as cancer, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, diabetes and stroke.
The Catholic Church condemned the creation of hybrid embryos as “monstrous experiments of Frankenstein proportions”.
The legislation was debated in the UK parliament on Monday May 19 with an overwhelming 336 ministers voting down a cross party attempt to ban the research, with 176 voting in favour of the ban. The bid to ban hybrid embryos was led by Catholic cabinet ministers Ruth Kelly, Des Browne and Paul Murphy. Labour PM Gordon Brown and Tory opposition leader David Cameron joined forces to oppose the ban.
The majority of the conservative Tory shadow cabinet voted contrary to their leader with ex-minister Edward Leigh claiming they are "ethically wrong and almost certainly medically useless". Medically useless? I guess the scientists are just doing it for the sheer fun of the process then. Leigh goes on to say that there is "no evidence yet to substantiate" the claims that hybrid embryo’s could help in the treatment of disease. How do like them apples? No evidence yet. Yet. Yes Mr Leigh, that’s the whole point. That’s why it’s called research, so that scientists can determine whether or not hybrid embryos are indeed going to prove useful in studying and combating these diseases.
Although the government and scientists have been quick to point out that the hybrid embryos would not be implanted into a woman or animal, detractors are still having none of it, wondering where it will all lead. Obviously these people have been watching too much Island of Dr Moraeu type schlock science/horror/B grade nonsense.
Leigh again: “We do not believe that regulation is enough. We believe this is a step too far and therefore should be banned. In embryos, we do have the genetic make up of a complete human being and we could not and should not be spliced together with the animal kingdom."
Yes, Mr Leigh, that’s what the Catholic Church said about the smallpox vaccine. They were wrong about that too weren’t they?
Note to the Catholic Church: The Dark Ages are over. But really, don’t feel too bad about it. I mean, hey, you’ve had a pretty good run having spent the better part of two thousand years controlling the hearts and minds of the public, what with your twin fail safe methods of guilt and fear. But your day in the sun is over. Time to make way for science and reason. To paraphrase Bob Dylan:
“Don’t criticise what you don’t understand.
Your sons and your daughters
Are beyond your command.
Your old road is rapidly agin'.
Please get out of the new one
If you can't lend your hand
For the times they are a-changin'.
Ruby
References:
BBC: MPs back hybrid embryo research
BBC: UK's first hybrid embryo's created
Images from BBC NEWS.
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Comment by Cheryl J
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This just makes me incredibly uncomfortable for reasons I can't quite articulate. Hmmm.
Comment by RubySoho
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Firstly, they are using cow ovaries because human ones are too rare.Secondly, it is heavily regulated and the embryo's have to be destroyed by the 14 day mark.
I guess its the whole slippery slope argument as in what will this lead to? But with the regulations in place, I don't see why it has to lead to anything other than a better understanding of treating diseases which has thus far eluded science and medicine. IVF was met with a similar outcry. And as one of the scientists involved in the study has said "we are talking about a clump of cells'.
Actually, that's why I included the Dylan quote "don't criticise what you don't understand". If we all understood a little more about exactly what was being done we may not be so afraid of it.
Comment by Cheryl J
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Xenotransplantation has been bandied about as a possibility for those dying on donor transplant lists and that argument has been raging for years. I would have to say a cluster of cells would sit much better with me than the use of animals specifically for the use of organ donation even if they could find a way to make it work and at present it's impossible.
Ethics definitely have a place in the argument both for and against but religion should play no part as religious views on medicine itself can vary wildly. Jehovah's Witnesses don't agree with blood transfusions but it's a procedure that is carried out daily and the majority of the population has no objection to it as it saves lives. Already there are many human products in routine medical use that are made by genetically manipulated micro-organisms, eg insulin, growth hormone and vaccines.
You've made me want to delve deeper.
Comment by Winston
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Comment by Morgan Bell
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Comment by Hatchy
the reasons stem so deep they take us back to our very beginnings as human beings. It's the same feeling we feel when we think about incest. Of course it's morally wrong, but it's also profoundly against human nature. To breed within ones own family blood line in our early stages of evolutionary development, would be detrimental to the tribe's continuity.
You did mention that your first reaction to this whole thing "was similar". How many times have you said to yourself..."I should have gone with my gut reaction"
I think that has to have some weight in this argument, don't you think Ruby?
Comment by RubySoho
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Cheryl, that's just about the greatest compliment anyone could give me.
Thanks Winston and Morgan. I just thought I'd give an update. I'm glad the parliament didn't support the ban. I actually thought they would, or at least thought it would be a lot closer. Actually the UK is really impressing me at the moment- they just approved asylum for a gay Iranian teenager whose boyfriend was executed for homosexuality in Iran and who would no doubt suffer the same fate if he went back and to a former Iranian soldier who deserted after refusing to plant land mines.
Hello Hatchy. My first reaction to this was a base knee-jerk reaction. Cows and humans? How gross! But I educated myself, read about the what the scientists had planned and why they doing it and I find it is not only above board but entirely admirable.
No-one is "breeding" the hybrid embryo's Hatchy. In fact, it is a scientific impossibility- such cross species embryos cannot survive and would spontaneously abort even if they were implanted. They are being experimented with at the earliest of embryonic stages- when they are just "a clump of cells". And these experiments could bring about untold benefits to patients with so many diseases.
I should have gone with my gut reaction? Come on, what's my "gut reaction" got to do with scientific research? My gut reaction in this case was based on ignorance. I'm sure a scientist who read the same initial report may well have had a different "gut reaction".
Comment by Louie
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good to see the separation of Church and State is working effectively. i understand what the Catholic Church is afraid of but really, this research can save lives, they should work on regulating uses for the scientific discoveries not stopping the research all together, in my humble opinion
Great post, thanks
Comment by RubySoho
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And yes, this research is heavily regulated. No mad scientists toiling the night away in back yard labs here...
Comment by postmoderncritic
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Comment by RubySoho
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Comment by Jeff Musall
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Comment by postmoderncritic
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In that case, what on earth are people getting so agitated about?
Comment by RubySoho
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If you want to see what happens when we let fear, ignorance and superstition rule our senses click here: Really Long Link
PoMo, see above.