US Government Is Once Again Funding Animal-Human Hybrids

The federal government announced plans Thursday to lift a moratorium on funding of certain controversial experiments that use human stem cells to create animal embryos that are partly human.

Source

The National Institute of Health has put forth a new policy that would allow scientists to receive federal funding for research related to the creation of human/animal hybrids known as chimeras. The money would continue to come in as long as the hybrid embryos are created under certain carefully monitored conditions.

One issue is that scientists might inadvertently create animals that have partly human brains, endowing them with some semblance of human consciousness or human thinking abilities. Another is that they could develop into animals with human sperm and eggs and breed, producing human embryos or fetuses inside animals or hybrid creatures.

Scientists hope to use the embryos to create animal models of human disease, leading to new treatments and prevention, as well as sheep, pigs and cows that grow human organs suitable for transplant.

Sounds great, right?

While I understand the importance of this research, I can’t forget just how expendable certain animals have become. Because of their close genetic relation to humans, they have not been given the chance to live free.

The “animal” is reduced to a catalyst for organ harvesting and it’s uncertain if the rest of it’s body will be of any value. People will have to ask themselves, do the ends justify the means? How much suffering can or will be involved?

In their new policy, the NIH claims to address these ethical concerns by imposing several restrictions.

The policy proposes prohibiting the introduction of certain types of human cells into embryos of nonhuman primates, such as monkeys and chimps, at even earlier stages of development than what was currently prohibited.

But the policy would lift the moratorium on funding experiments involving other species. Because of the ethical concerns, though, at least some of the experiments would go through an extra layer of review by a new, special committee of government officials.

Ironically, the committee would consider experiments designed to create animals with human brain cells or brain tissue in order to study neurological conditions like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.

These experiments would be heavily scrutinized to help remove any chances of a “substantial contribution” or “substantial functional modification” to an animal’s brain.

Animals may also be created that are capable of producing human eggs and sperm in order to study human development and infertility. This can only be considered if steps can be taken to prevent the animals from breeding, probably leading to some funky outcomes.

Here’s what PETA’s Senior Vice President of Laboratory Investigations had to say,

Consciousness, thoughts, and emotions are not unique to the human animal. We share them with all other species. So if it is morally problematic to experiment on a chimera containing human cells, then it is wrong — and always has been — to experiment on the dogs, monkeys, and mice now used by the millions in laboratories. Scientists should not be supremacists. They can and must stop harming all animals.

The problem faced by the NIH is not in their experiments, but what those experiments may unintentionally create. The Forbes article states that, “PETA should be pleased” with the NIH’s approach since the experiments are strictly performed on embryos and the actual animal.

I’m sure PETA will argue the semantics of what exactly constitutes as animal life, similar to the human abortion argument that pro-choice supporters use. At what stage is life considered sacred? Is the act of creation even sacred anymore considering the eventual breakthroughs in genetic engineering? When do we become gods?

The public has 30 days to comment on the proposed new policy. NIH could start funding projects as early as the start of 2017.

Don't be afraid to speak up. If you have something to say either for or against this type of research, the government is willing to listen.

Share your thoughts!

Interesting times indeed.

Better get solids for that shotgun the X-Men are coming

"Sorry little 5 year old girl dying of some genetic disease we could have found a way to help you but PETA thinks bunnies are more important than you".
Sorry but while I'm a animal lover I love people more and I say cheers to all the animals who have helped us.
Plus they are embryos so what is the problem?.
Also who wouldn't want to be a teenage mutant ninja squirrel?.

It's to be expected in a society that does not respect life the way it should.

It is one thing to understand that it is necessary to take a life to sustain your own, but it is another thing entirely to play God with it and create entire creatures whose only value is as a living receptacle for your experiment.

Mostly the recent trends in research have been away from animals in testing as much as possible, but now we're opening that door wide again by letting companies create custom creatures just to be tests.

originally posted by: TheKnightofDoom
"Sorry little 5 year old girl dying of some genetic disease we could have found a way to help you but PETA thinks bunnies are more important than you".
Sorry but while I'm a animal lover I love people more and I say cheers to all the animals who have helped us.
Plus they are embryos so what is the problem?.
Also who wouldn't want to be a teenage mutant ninja squirrel?.

It's one thing to use bunnies as test subjects and find an answer. It's another thing to think your answer lies in specifically splicing a bunny with scorpion DNA and then adding a human brain, bringing that creature to a certain level of development just because you suspect that certain enzyme it might developed might be helpful.

It's like a scientific abortion.

Whatever research they do you can bet they are always looking for ways to weaponize it.
Manbearpig may not be a cartoon in 10 years.
I certainly have no trust in what government experiments on.
They've done plenty on us, the citizens already so believe me when I say they will have no compunction in doing whatever they want.

a reply to: eisegesis

Somehow i cant see this working, since it never worked before.. sorta..
Its not just feeding them to get rid of the instincts.. Usually a whip and a cane is also included..

The animal is still an animal, just cause it gets more human like features doesnt mean you can treat it differently... It took wolves thousands of years to integrate into dogs where they have a place in our society..

Im not part of the US and the main problem with the US and their approach to things is that they already set the goal.. One step at a time..






This is a clip where animals saves other animals

a reply to: eisegesis

Doesn't both me, if it advances medical science with a minimum of human casualty use as many bunnies, rats, mice and monkeys as ya need, use cat's and dogs too if that helps.

originally posted by: ketsuko
...but now we're opening that door wide again by letting companies create custom creatures just to be tests.

No, no, no, you missed it. They want to grow human blood and organs in custom creatures. At first, it'll be organs that are specific to one person. But in time, they want to grow 'generic' livers, hearts, pancreases, lungs, kidneys and whatnot that have no antigen markers at all, and can be transplanted without typing. Critters can be kept clean and free of CMV, herpes, HIV and any other nasty communicables, and there's not a lot of zoonotic diseases you have to worry about. So your new organs will be healthy, uninfectious and ready to implant.

And, of course, the military has LONG been interested in designer chimerae. What if you could grow a grizzly with a human brain? Or a big dog? Or a cetacean? Human brained orcas with something like hands? (fin-gers?) Can you imagine having designer beings raised from birth to be a Navy combat human cetacean? Just swim down and plant mines on subs? Repel human combatants with ease. Take out shipping for fun. Or an Army combat bear? Maybe with a few extra mods...retractile claws on a sort of human hand setup so you can use computer equipment. Bear paws aren't good for that. You'd want human eyes too. But the rest - man. What sort of havoc could you wreak as a grizz-human?

a reply to: ketsuko

We are going to help thousands of people doing this.
We are not making actual hybrids half man half goat you know here read this.

www.seeker.com...

I'm all for medical advancement If doing this can help us solve problems that many people face everyday I say go for it.

a reply to: Bedlam

a simple question; Why?

originally posted by: tikbalang
a reply to: Bedlam

a simple question; Why?

Are you KIDDING? Cheap transplants with no rejection? You wouldn't have to take cellcept or whatever. It would just suture right in.

Plus, there's the whole geriatric med thing. If you can generate 'teenaged' or 'immediate post-teen' blood by the gallon, it's got a really amazing ability to restore the health of people my age. You'll probably be hearing more about that. But it's been screwed around with since the 50s, and it's one of those treatments that actually works in a big amazing dramatic military fashion.

The problem is with coming up with enough late teens and early adults you can drain for people like me.

Oh holy hand grenades, THIS IS ALMOST AS BAD AN IDEA AS ATOMIC WEAPONS.

originally posted by: Bedlam

originally posted by: ketsuko
...but now we're opening that door wide again by letting companies create custom creatures just to be tests.

No, no, no, you missed it. They want to grow human blood and organs in custom creatures. At first, it'll be organs that are specific to one person. But in time, they want to grow 'generic' livers, hearts, pancreases, lungs, kidneys and whatnot that have no antigen markers at all, and can be transplanted without typing. Critters can be kept clean and free of CMV, herpes, HIV and any other nasty communicables, and there's not a lot of zoonotic diseases you have to worry about. So your new organs will be healthy, uninfectious and ready to implant.

And, of course, the military has LONG been interested in designer chimerae. What if you could grow a grizzly with a human brain? Or a big dog? Or a cetacean? Human brained orcas with something like hands? (fin-gers?) Can you imagine having designer beings raised from birth to be a Navy combat human cetacean? Just swim down and plant mines on subs? Repel human combatants with ease. Take out shipping for fun. Or an Army combat bear? Maybe with a few extra mods...retractile claws on a sort of human hand setup so you can use computer equipment. Bear paws aren't good for that. You'd want human eyes too. But the rest - man. What sort of havoc could you wreak as a grizz-human?

If you think all of that's a good idea, You are sick pos

originally posted by: 191stMIDET
If you think all of that's a good idea, You are sick pos

You don't know the half of it!

originally posted by: Bedlam

originally posted by: ketsuko
...but now we're opening that door wide again by letting companies create custom creatures just to be tests.

No, no, no, you missed it. They want to grow human blood and organs in custom creatures. At first, it'll be organs that are specific to one person. But in time, they want to grow 'generic' livers, hearts, pancreases, lungs, kidneys and whatnot that have no antigen markers at all, and can be transplanted without typing. Critters can be kept clean and free of CMV, herpes, HIV and any other nasty communicables, and there's not a lot of zoonotic diseases you have to worry about. So your new organs will be healthy, uninfectious and ready to implant.

And, of course, the military has LONG been interested in designer chimerae. What if you could grow a grizzly with a human brain? Or a big dog? Or a cetacean? Human brained orcas with something like hands? (fin-gers?) Can you imagine having designer beings raised from birth to be a Navy combat human cetacean? Just swim down and plant mines on subs? Repel human combatants with ease. Take out shipping for fun. Or an Army combat bear? Maybe with a few extra mods...retractile claws on a sort of human hand setup so you can use computer equipment. Bear paws aren't good for that. You'd want human eyes too. But the rest - man. What sort of havoc could you wreak as a grizz-human?

OK I concede, those ideas are great for books and movies etc. But real life? Don't you think messing with nature like that could be problematic? Nature and everything in it except us of course IS PERFECT. Harmony like we could never invent. Evolution, does it better man.

Unless you are a vegan or vegetarian for the sake of animals i really dont see how you could be upset about this. This will actually save lifes not just satisfy peoples' guts.

Bigger animals doesnt make it worse. As the article says, mice are no different and they are and have been subject to absolutely anything imaginable. Its the same necesarry evil.

a reply to: 191stMIDET

Problems like what? Other movie things like Planet of the Apes?

This is the science behind the book/game setting I'm working on... or well would be if I ever get off my ass to do it.

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