UK breakthrough as human embryo cloned
British and Korean scientists lead revolution in stem cell technology
Ian Sample, science correspondent
Friday May 20, 2005
The Guardian
Scientists in Newcastle have successfully cloned a human embryo, a breakthrough that places Britain at the forefront of the cutting edge but highly controversial field of embryonic stem cell technology.
The clone was created as part of the Newcastle group's research into new treatments for diabetes. The team, lead by Miodrag Stojkovic at Newcastle University and Alison Murdoch at the Newcastle NHS Fertility Centre, was the first in Europe to be given the go-ahead to clone embryos for research last year, after being granted a licence by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority.
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Britain is one of a handful of countries to permit the cloning of human embryos for research, or therapeutic cloning. Several countries throughout Europe have introduced bans or severe restrictions on cloning research and the UN is pushing for a global ban.
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Pro-life groups criticised the work as unethical. "This work trivialises life. An embryo, no matter how small, no matter how it is created, is a human life. We must respect that," said Josephine Quintavalle of Comment on Reproductive Ethics.
The HFEA's right to grant permission for the work is being tested in the high court after lawyers for Christian Fellowship won a judicial review of its decision.
