Human-animal hybrids should be banned, say churches

By KEVIN TAYLOR political reporter

The formation of human-animal hybrids and the splitting of human embryos for any purpose should be banned in a bill on reproductive technology which is before a parliamentary committee, churches say.

The Interchurch Bioethics Council told the health committee yesterday that the mixing of human and animal DNA was "culturally and spiritually offensive to most New Zealanders".

Council chairwoman Audrey Jarvis said there were also major scientific concerns about the possibility of creating new viruses, or transferring viruses from one species to another, which could then become a source of human or animal disease.

The committee is considering the Human Assisted Reproductive Technology Bill, which regulates reproductive technology and bans commercial surrogacy and human cloning for reproductive purposes.

However, it makes other forms of reproductive technology subject to ethical approval, including use of hybrid embryos for non-reproductive research and embryo cloning for non-reproductive purposes, genetically modifying embryos so inherited diseases are not passed on, using eggs or ovaries from dead foetuses, and posthumous use of sperm.

Council member Deborah Stevens told the committee the prohibitions in the bill were inadequate and the creation of animal-human hybrids and embryo-splitting should be banned. The council had ethical and cultural concerns around the creation of animal-human hybrids.

"We must respect our whakapapa, our genealogies, our distinctness. There are definite cultural, ethical and social issues around mixing human and non-human gametes."

Mrs Stevens said there was concern about new viruses being transferred from one species to another.

"In New Zealand of course the human being can't be patented, but what do we do about something that's part-human being, part-mouse or part-pig ... so there's considerable issues around the patenting laws."

Mrs Stevens said the council was concerned about embryo-splitting because a single birth was better for mother and child. Deliberately creating identical twins should not be allowed.

"We may have a situation whereby if we have frozen identical embryos and an unfortunate tragedy or illness befalls a kiddie that is already existing, we then get in a situation where 'it's all right, we can replace them with something that's genetically identical'."

The council represents the Anglican, Methodist and Presbyterian churches and its members include people with scientific, medical, ethical and theological experience.