Question
Further to the Written Answer by Lord Darzi of Denham on 2 June (WA 10), at what point an outgrowing embryo either ceases to be living, ceases to be human or ceases to be an embryo; and what criteria are used by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority during an inspection to determine that this point has been reached within 14 days; and
Answer
Applications for embryo research licences are considered by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority's (HFEA) Research Licence Committee (which will refer to advice from the authority's Scientific and Clinical Advances Group). It will consider whether the proposed method for embryo culture and stem cell derivation complies with Sections 3(3)(a) and (4) of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1900 (HFE Act). When human embryos are allowed to attach to the surface of a culture dish and outgrow their structure, it is not a breach of Sections 3(3)(a) and (4) of the HFE Act 1990. The HFEA has not licensed the use of mouse embryos as a model of implantation regarding this issue. When considering this issue, the HFEA's Scientific and Clinical Advances Group found no published studies regarding the transfer of these outgrowing entities to the womb of any mammal. The view of the group was that the aim of culturing cells in this way is to attempt to create stem cell lines and there is consensus among the scientific community that it is not possible for these entities to achieve a pregnancy.