hybrid human animal embryos heralding

Hybrid Human-Animal Embryos: Heralding the Age of Frankenstenic Science?

Frankenstein: Stuff of fiction, or a fore-boding of what is to come?

As a teenager, one of my favorite past times was reading science

fiction horror, and one of the more indelible impressions of such

science fiction tales was the story of Frankenstein, written by Mary

Shelly. It was one of the more classic science horror stuff, and some

would think that its relevance towards DNA research, cloning and other

scientific advancements may be a glimpse into the future of scary

science: Creating a human, hybrid-like creature in the mould of the

fictional Frankenstein.

Types of Hybrid Embryos

With the dramatic advancement of DNA and other biological fields,

science has progressed in leaps and bounds. Genetically altered plants

and crops have been successfully replicated, and organs of humans have

also been successfully harvested in animals.

The Creationist Scientist: Wacky, Nutty, and Fruity, and nothing much

in between.

In light of such medical scares, perhaps it may be prudent to at least

alleviate the fears of people who may harbor unnecessary prejudice

against people who do real science, not some quacks who don white

coats and hide behind Creationist-related pseudoscience.

Basically, there are two types of genetically-altered embryos:

1. True hybrids:

Creatures created by the fusion of sperm and eggs, involving human

DNA. Such a creation would, theoretically at least, throw in some

controversial debates, and thus remain outlawed. In all cases, it

remains illegal to allow hybrid embryos to grow for more than 14 days

or for them to be implanted in a womb, after which, they are to be

destroyed.

As controversial as this sounds, I dare venture to say that this may

not be a bad thing. Imagine the good it would do to humanity if humans

possess certain genes that may help enhance our capabilities, say,

humans who can swim by breathing through gills (without the side

effects, of course).

2. Animal-human hybrid embryos

This is a far less controversial research route: Scientists take DNA

from human cells and place it in animal eggs, which have had most of

their genetic material removed. Embryos grown from the eggs contain

more than 99% human DNA, with remnants of animal DNA of the originator

of the embryo. Once the embryos have been grown in the lab - for no

longer than 14 days - scientists can harvest stem cells for research.

Why Hybrid Embryos?

Perhaps due to the religious stigma attached to embryonic research,

there exists a severe shortage of human embryos available from donors

for the sole purpose of stem cell research.

By harvesting animal embryos (Which are in plentiful supply, and

curiously, something which "pro-lifers" never complain about), the

immense potential to culture abundant embryonic cells for stem cell

research would negate this urgent need for human embryos.

The Pressing Need For Developing Stem Cell Research

As a testimony to the wonders of Science and Medicine, our advances in

medicinal science has dramatically increased the lifespan of the

average human being.

With the increased lifespan, however, came unforeseen problems: As the

population ages, diseases that would never have surfaced as a

potential pandemic have began to crop up: Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and

other erstwhile mental diseases that deal a severe blow mainly to the

elderly populaces will have a significant effect to the elderly, as

well as the younger generation tasked with the inevitable burden of

looking after the aged.

In light of this emerging social problem, it is imperative that

advances in the field of medical research, particularly stem cell

research, be accelerated to cure or at least eliminate some of these

age-related diseases.

Fear Mongers Amongst the Fundamentalist Breed?

There have been concerns raised, particularly from the religious and

fundamentalist breed, that such advances in biomedical research would

somehow be a sacrilegious act, and that Man, as God's creation, should

never be allowed to play "God".

The Evil Doctor: Playing the role of "God" by curing those that God

intends to wrought his wrath.

That kind of argument is dubious, however. By that logic, whenever a

child falls ill from disease, we should never bring him or her to the

doctor, because as doctors go, their job is to cure patients or at the

very least, alleviate pain. Visiting doctors would then be tantamount

to blasphemy, since the purpose of the child's disease, which has been

afflicted upon the child, would be to bestow upon him or her death

and/or suffering.

Rather than be embroiled by such silly arguments, the real ethics of

embryonic research should be geared towards responsible, life-saving

research. Resorting to archaic, religious values to denounce real

science is kind of like playing water ducky with the microscope.

While there may be real medical and ethical implications for creating

adult hybrids, the scientific community cannot be allowed to be