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It should review research involving human-animal combinations of cells
A HIGH-level panel guiding scientists on the ethical, social and legal issues in research has called for a national body to oversee human stem-cell research in Singapore.
The Bioethics Advisory Committee (BAC) recommends in its latest report that the body include lay members of the public, and review all stem-cell research involving human-animal combinations of cells. It noted that no government body now has explicit power to regulate this area of research, a field with growing implications for the development of treatments for diseases such as diabetes.
It also noted that scientists in this field now have only general stem-cell guidelines to go on, though the Health Ministry (MOH) has regulatory oversight of all research work done by health-care bodies and reproduction clinics here.
Stem cells are those which can develop into any specialised tissue, for example bone or kidney cells, so they hold the promise of replacing diseased organs with new parts grown in labs. Human genetic material is being introduced into animal eggs to form embryos, creating stem cells for research, said BAC chairman Lim Pin.
To prevent abuse by maverick scientists, the BAC recommends that:
n Animals with human stem cells in them be barred from breeding;
n The creation of human-animal hybrid embryos be permitted only when there is scientific merit and potential
medical benefits, and that these embryos should not be allowed to develop beyond 14 days;
n Where human embryonic stem cells are introduced into animals, care should be taken to avoid the creation
of new forms of life bearing “human sentience or consciousness”;
n No clinic or person be made to conduct or help in this kind of research if they have conscientious objections
to it.
Prof Lim said, however, that studies of human-animal combinations are not widespread here. But with guidelines in place, researchers would know where the boundaries are, and be more confident about undertaking this sort of work.
To come up with the report, the BAC consulted the public, religious groups and research institutions from January 2008.
Many of those who objected to this kind of research did so because of the worry that it would violate human dignity, Prof Lim said, adding that there was also what he called the “yuck factor”.
But though people may be disturbed or disgusted by animals with human parts growing from them, there must be a solid basis to an emotional reaction, and actual harms and benefits must be evaluated.
Associate Professor John Elliot, a research fellow in the BAC’s secretariat, reasoned that if stem-cell treatments are to be someday used in humans, they must be tested on animals first, which means creating human-animal chimeras.
Other members of the public, like Ms Nicole Cheng, support the research. She called for the concept of a human-animal chimera to be explained to the public, who may imagine them to be “centaurs or flying pigs”, she wrote in her submission to the BAC. A more realistic example would be a human with a shark cornea as an implant, she added.
Dr Matiullah Khan of the Oncology Research Institute of Singapore said if research done in good faith somehow goes wrong, scientists should have enough legal protection.
A spokesman for MOH said it will respond to the recommendations shortly.
The BAC’s recommendations are in line with regulations in force elsewhere, Prof Lim said. For example, in the United States, animals with human cells are not allowed to breed.
Recommendations by the Bioethics Advisory Committee
n Set up a single national body, which should include lay members of the public, to review all human
pluripotent stem cell research or human-animal combination work in Singapore.
n Embryos formed by putting human-cell nuclei into animal eggs should not be allowed to develop past 14
days or be implanted in a human or animal uterus.
n When human stem cells are implanted into an animal, researchers should take care to avoid making
creatures which might develop human consciousness.
n Animals with human stem cells introduced into them should not be allowed to breed.
n Clinical or research staff who have a conscientious objection to human-animal stem cell research should
not be made to conduct or assist in it.
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