Final Report (all chapters)

and the tail of serpent. In biology, chimeric animals consist of cells from at least two genetically
distinct progenitors, either two different animals or a human and an animal. They can be created
in a variety of ways – for example, by inserting cells from one species into the embryo or the
fetus of another. Stem cells have also been used for this purpose. Chimeras can be conceived
naturally, such as when twin embryos fuse (a rare but not unknown phenomenon).
If there ever was a truly horrifying scenario to the average person, it is the possibility that
scientists one day could create entities that are neither clearly human nor animal. The term
“humanzee” evokes precisely this kind of imagery. The “humanzee” is a creature that is half
human and half chimpanzee. Why anyone would want to create a humanzee is of course a very
important question that has not received convincing answers. Some have suggested that
humanzees could perform degrading and dangerous tasks; others, that they could be designed to
serve as soldiers. A more realistic proposition is the possibility that chimeric individuals could be
created for superior athletic performance. Whatever the rationale for creating a human-animal
chimera, should a suitable technology become available, it is not at all implausible that some
individuals may want to use it, despite the unanimous opposition of the scientific community and
the ART industry. This situation is reminiscent of reproductive cloning, and raises similar ethical
concerns.
It is relatively easy to justify banning the creation of anything resembling a humanzee or a
super-athlete. The ethical arguments in this case are not too dissimilar from those offered to ban
reproductive cloning. Respect for individual autonomy prevents us from establishing in advance
the ultimate purpose of any human life, including human chimeric life. Creation of such a hybrid
furthermore raises nightmarish questions of moral status, such as what kinds of political rights
such a creature would have. On the other end, there may well be lines of research involving
chimeras and/or hybrids that could be justified, both from a scientific and an ethical standpoint.
To our knowledge, there have been only two published experiments involving the creation
of human-animal hybrids, both conducted in 2003. In one of these experiments, a Chinese
scientist removed the nuclei from rabbit eggs and replaced them with human nuclei obtained
from the skin of two five-year-old boys, two men, and a 60-year old woman. 84 The experiment is
noteworthy not only because human-animal embryos were created for the first time, but also
because it was the first documented case of somatic cell nuclear transfer in humans. It was, in
other words, a cloning experiment. As disturbing as this experiment may appear, it was
conducted for a straightforward reason. The Chinese scientist was hoping to develop a technique
for producing what may be called ethical embryos – embryos that could be produced in large
numbers and used as a source of human stem cells without stirring public controversies.
Predictably, the experiment did trigger a controversy, but not because of the procedure involved.
84
"China's Human-Cloning Policy Fudges Law on Cross-Species Fusions," Nature 427 (2004); Carina Dennis,
"Chinese Fusion Method Promises Fresh Route to Human Stem Cells," Nature 424 (2003); Antonio Regalado,
"Chinese Scientists Report Advance in Stem-Cell Work," Wall Street Journal, August 13, 2003; Rick Weiss,
"Cloning Yields Human-Rabbit Hybrid Embryo," Washington Post, August 14, 2003; Richard Yallop,
"Professor Backs Use of Hybrid Embryos," The Australian, October 28, 2004.
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