Scientist calls for ban on 'GM humans'

Eric Lander, director of the Whitehead Institute at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, said last week that the GM-genetic modification (or germline gene therapy) of humans should be banned for now, with the understanding that 'we would still be able to come back to the issue later'.

Speaking about the Human Genome Project at a literary festival in Wales, Professor Lander said there was nothing stopping scientists experimenting at present, but added: 'I would be appalled to wake up and find that someone had produced the first GM child'.

Germline gene therapy (altering the genetic information of the egg, sperm or early embryo) is illegal in the UK at present.