Is devolved regulation a two stage rocket to public acceptance of the use of embryos in research? The issue of the human-animal hybrid embryo in the UK

The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFE Authority) is UK’s independent regulator concerning, among others, research involving human embryos. This Authority is an executive non-departmental public body composed of experts in biomedical research, lawyers, ethicists and other private persons who are appointed by the Secretary of State.

The Authorities’ task, in addition to provide impartial and authoritative information to the public including giving advice to Government, is to take license decisions regarding research protocols within the boundaries of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act (HFE Act). However, some of these legislative boundaries, for instance the boundary delineating what is ‘human’, with each technical innovation have to be interpreted anew. The issue addressed in this paper, the creation of human-animal hybrid embryos, is an example of such technical innovation.

The paper focuses at the contribution that the HFE Authority made to the process in which new legal boundaries for the creation of human embryos were formulated as part of the amendment of the 1990 HFE Act which resulted in the 2008 HFE Act. It shows how this Authority by providing in an extra pre-legislative arena for deliberating the issue of the human animal hybrid embryo, contributed to the public acceptance of this new technique.

The working paper 'Is devolved regulation a two stage rocket to public acceptance of the use of embryos in research? The issue of the human-animal hybrid embryo in the UK' can be found here.