UK parliament backs animal-human embryo research

The lower house of parliament approved legislation Wednesday allowing scientists to create animal-human embryos for medical research, in the biggest shake-up of embryology laws in two decades.

Despite opposition from religious and pro-life groups, MPs in the House of Commons backed the human embryology and fertilisation bill by 355 votes to 129. It will now go to a vote in the House of Lords, and could be law by November.

The wide-ranging bill, which has been debated for months, would also allow "saviour siblings" -- children created as a close genetic match for a sick brother or sister so their genetic material can help treat them.

In addition, it gives lesbians and single women easier access to in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) treatment by removing requirements for clinics to consider a child's need for a father.

Health Minister Dawn Primarolo told lawmakers the bill was about helping the one in seven couples who needed fertility assistance, and about research to deal with diseases such as Alzheimer's, which affects 350,000 Britons.

Hybrid embryos, created by inserting the nuclei of a human cell into an animal egg, can ensure a more plentiful supply of stem cells for use in research into treating conditions like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.