Posted on 01/28/2005 5:39:43 AM PST by FreeMarket1
MICE BUILT WITH HUMAN BRAINS
Jan 28, 2005 - FreeMarketNews.com
by staff reports
Chinese scientists have created a part human, part animal hybrid, according to National Geographic News. At the Mayo Clinic, scientists have created pigs whose veins flow with human blood. And Stanford University is considering an experiment that would create mice with human brains. Supposedly these and other laboratory creations might help scientists more effectively test drugs meant for humans or create spare body parts.
Legally, let alone morally and ethically, the dividing lines are gray at best.
NGN reports that “creating human-animal chimeras—named after a monster in Greek mythology that had a lion's head, goat's body, and serpent's tail — has raised troubling questions: What new subhuman combination should be produced and for what purpose? At what point would it be considered human? And what rights, if any, should it have?”
There are precedents for crossing the species barrier. Heart valves from pigs have frequently been used as replacements in humans. And farm animals have had human genes added to them.
What is different and far more controversial about more recent efforts is that these experiments would involve the creation of new species, though the process of mixing human stem cells with embryonic animals.
Canada has already passed laws that would ban such practices. It is prohibited to place human cells in non human embryos or vice a versa.
Some researchers in the United States believe that, in the interest of science, there should be no prohibition.
Irv Weissman of Stanford University’s Institute of Cancer/Stem Cell Biology, who has already created mice possessing a percentage of a human brain, is one of these.
He states: "Anybody who puts their own moral guidance in the way of this biomedical science, where they want to impose their will—not just be part of an argument—if that leads to a ban or moratorium. … they are stopping research that would save human lives."
In the July, 2004 “The Dean’s Letter” of the Stanford School of Medicine, Dr. Weismann’s testimony on stem cell research policy before the Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Science, Technology and Space is noted.
Dr. Weismann stated, “In my own personal moral view, those in a position of advice or authority who participate in the banning or enforced delays of biomedical research that could lead to the saving of lives and the amelioration of suffering are directly and morally responsible for the lives made worse or lost due to the ban."
He then concluded, "If you have real concerns about our economy, or our ability to...............Full Article www.FreeMarketNews.com
You sound like one of the junk-science chicken-little global-warming wackos.
In all of creation, only arrogant man would actually believe that he is able to thwart God or irretrievably alter his creation and go beyond the boundries he has set.
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