Written question asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench), in the House of Lords. It was answered by Lord Darzi of Denham (Labour) on Monday, 29 September 2008.

Embryology

Question: Further to the Written Answer by Lord Darzi of Denham on 16 July (WA 154–5), how the ““hamster test”” might be viewed as providing a precedent for current licensing by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority of human admixed embryos (in which it is said that the animal DNA is not predominant) if such activities are intended to be governed by separate provisions of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill.

Answer: The ““hamster test”” was not viewed as providing a precedent when the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) considered whether admixed embryos fell under the remit of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990. The HFEA considered evidence on whether ““cytoplasmic hybrid”” human admixed embryos would be human and decided that they would be; therefore, any person creating and using such embryos would require a licence from the HFEA.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 5168; 703 c353WA
Session: 2007-08
Related items: Embryology
Wednesday, 16 July 2008
Written questions
House of Lords
Notes: Answer received between Tuesday 19 August and Tuesday 26 August 2008
Subjects: Licensing Human embryo experiments Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority Human-animal hybrid embryos
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk