Pig-human cell fusion patent refused

A patent application describing a procedure in which human DNA is transferred into pig egg cells has been turned down by the European Patent Office (EPO), who described it as 'contrary to morality'. Australian firm Stem Cell Sciences and US-based BioTransplant Inc created the hybrid cells during research into stem cell therapies.

According to a report in the Times newspapers last week, the researchers extracted the genetic information from a human fetal cell, and inserted it into a donor pig egg cell. Two embryos were grown to the 32-cell stage, but the scientists said that the cells were incapable of growing into a human being. Environmental pressure group Greenpeace, who published extracts of the patent application, called the technique 'Frankenstein science'. BioTransplant and Stem Cell Sciences replied that Greenpeace had misconstrued the significance and intention of the process.

Meanwhile, the Dutch government is proposing to ban all research into therapeutic cloning - the use of cloned early embryo cells to develop disease treatments - for at least three years. Legislation in the Netherlands forbids the creation of human embryos for research (and the importing of such embryos), but scientists are allowed to work on embryos left over from fertility treatment, reports the British Medical Journal. The bill currently being considered will prohibit human cloning, sex selection, and germ-line gene therapy.