UK scientists have won permission to genetically modify human embryos for the
first time – sparking fears it could lead to “designer babies”.
The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority today confirmed scientists
had been given the go-ahead to experiment on human embryos.
Scientists are hoping to explain what goes wrong when women suffer
miscarriages by carrying out experiments on embryos in the first seven days
after fertilisation.
But critics of the controversial ruling fear it could be a gateway to tweaking
genes to create “designer babies”.
Research is set to take place at the Francis Crick Institute in London and
aims to gain a deeper understanding of the very beginning of human life.
It will be illegal for the scientists to implant the embryos in women, as with
any tests that take place on human embryos.
Under the 2008 Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act they can only be used
for research and must be destroyed after two weeks.
Dr David King, of independent watchdog Human Genetics Alert, said: “We are
worried it is a step on the path towards GM babies.”
And campaign group Comment on Reproductive Ethics said it was “opposed to any
form of destructive research on human embryos”.
A statement from the HFEA said: “Our Licence Committee has approved an
application from Dr Kathy Niakan of the Francis Crick Institute to renew her
laboratory’s research licence to include gene editing of embryos.
“The committee has added a condition to the licence that no research
using gene editing may take place until the research has received research
ethics approval.
“As with all embryos used in research, it is illegal to transfer them to
a woman for treatment.”
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Lead researcher Dr Kathy Niakan explained earlier this year: “We would
really like to understand the genes needed for a human embryo to develop
succesfully into a healthy baby.
“The reason why it is so important is because miscarriages and
infertility are extremely common, but they’re not very well understood.”
Paul Nurse, the director of the Crick, said: “I am delighted that the
HFEA has approved Dr Niakan’s application.
“Dr Niakan’s proposed research is important for understanding how a
healthy human embryo develops and will enhance our understanding of IVF
success rates, by looking at the very earliest stage of human development.”
Alastair Kent, director of Genetic Alliance UK, said: “We’d like to
underline that the spare embryos that will be used in this work will have
been donated for research purposes.
“Many of the women who make this donation have experienced being unable
to have a child without artificial reproductive technology and make their
donation altruistically with the hope of allowing others to benefit from
improvements in knowledge and treatments.
“We should acknowledge the contribution that embryo donors make to allow
this research to happen.”