London, : The Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC) has responded to calls for the limit on human embryo research to be changed by saying that test-tube embryos are human beings and should not be used as laboratory guinea-pigs at any stage of life.
Commenting on today's reports, Paul Tully, SPUC's General Secretary, said: "The early human embryo is incredibly complex and sensitive and has unique potential. It is a new human being, not just a ball of cells. Treating these embryos like guinea-pigs or disposable junk is demeaning to them and to us. The scientists proposing this may be highly educated, but they are morally blind. Every doctor and embryologist was once an embryo.
"The approach of many scientists to ethics is unbelievably crass. As soon as technology enables them to break the rules, they call for the rules to be changed. We saw this in the case of mitochondrial disease last year. The law was changed to allow germ-line modification in humans. And earlier this year, the regulator gave permission for testing further genetic modification techniques.
'Like a reckless driver'
"It is like a teenage driver calling for speed limits to be increased every time he buys a faster car. There is no real concern for those who might get hurt, only for their own ambitions. And like reckless drivers, the scientists involved leave a trail of destruction and death in their wake", concluded Mr Tully.
For more detailed comments or to request an interview with SPUC, please contact SPUC's Communications Department on:
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