In a vote held Monday evening, the House of Commons (lower house) has an overwhelming majority rejected an amendment prohibiting the creation of hybrid embryos, thus removing the last obstacle to their legalization. The measure is the first part of a controversial Bill on embryology and fertilization in which the hearing should continue until Tuesday. The hybrid embryos are reserved for exclusively scientific. They must be destroyed no later than after 14 days of development and it is forbidden to implant in the uterus of a woman…

The Labour Prime Minister Gordon Brown, whose youngest son under two years suffering from cystic fibrosis, had seconded the text. Cystic fibrosis is one of congenital diseases that could benefit from therapeutic cloning, a procedure facilitated by the use of hybrid embryos. The Catholic Church and conservative opposition MPs complained that a cleric calls for experiments in Frankenstein. The deputies are not required by the discipline of their party on such sensitive topics and several Catholic ministers voted against the measure. Read the rest of this entry »