Allowing scientists to carry out stem cell research using hybrid human-animal embryos "is a step too far and should be banned", the Commons has heard. Senior Tory MP Edward Leigh said there was "no evidence yet to substantiate" claims that this may lead to treatment for Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. Gordon Brown has urged MPs to back the work, saying it is a "moral endeavour" that could save thousands of lives. MPs are voting on a series of reforms to embryology laws that date from 1990. The measures, part of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill, are aimed at updating laws in line with scientific advances.
Allowing scientists to carry out stem cell research using hybrid human-animal embryos "is a step too far and should be banned", the Commons has heard.
Senior Tory MP Edward Leigh said there was "no evidence yet to substantiate" claims that this may lead to treatment for Parkinson's and Alzheimer's.
Gordon Brown has urged MPs to back the work, saying it is a "moral endeavour" that could save thousands of lives.
MPs are voting on a series of reforms to embryology laws that date from 1990.
The measures, part of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill, are aimed at updating laws in line with scientific advances.
Because the evidence would be a cure, but that's putting the cart before the horse. I love the way that legal minds seem to be able to grasp the inner workings of tax avoidance schemes, yet seem to remain impervious to the concept of the scientific method.
I don't mind the idea of a reasoned debate. But not this, which is carried out on such a fraudulent premise by people who so obviously don't understand the issue so that the end result has as much validity as debating how many angels dance on the head of a pin. keep to the Fen Causeway
Science is for nerdy geeks and it's beneath them. keep to the Fen Causeway
Guardian - Ban on hybrid embryos fails
An attempt to ban the use of hybrid human-animal embryos for scientific research was rejected in the House of Commons tonight. Voting was 176 to 336, a majority of 160, during the committee-stage debate on the human fertilisation and embryology bill
"debate" continues keep to the Fen Causeway
What worries me is that a NuCon majority would reverse those numbers, and we'd see the UK heading at best speed in the direction the US is about to reverse from.
Or something. Conservatives want live babies so they can raise them to be dead soldiers. - George Carlin
they thought that importing jamaicans would do it, but that didn't fly...
or swim, or something... ~"When an inner situation is not made conscious, it appears outside as fate." Karl Jung~
Next up, the needs for fathers, and the abortion limit. I personally haven't enjoyed the way either of those debates have happened in the press. The very fact that the people keen to defeat the amendment presented new evidence against the viability of pre 26 week births, is a real problem. They might win the battle, but they lost the (framing) war.
Now everybody will expect the limit to shift back and forth as new evidence concerning viability is produced. If they had talked about women's rights, and won on those terms, it could have saved the issue for a much longer time. Member of the Anti-Fabulousness League since 1987.
"Hybrid embryo research is wrong", the Commons has heard.
I suppose factual reporting like A Tory MP has given the Commons his opinion that hybrid embryo research is wrong is too much to ask?
Definitely too much to ask. When the capital development of a country becomes a by-product of the activities of a casino, the job is likely to be ill-done. — John M. Keynes
