Re: What would the making of part-human creatures do to life?

I don't think that life as we know it would come to an end, but the 
question raises some important ethical issues. But first some technical 
clarification. Hybrids can result of breeding between members of two 
species, such as a donkey and a horse. The DNA in every cell of a hybrid is 
the same, although different from either parent. Hybrids occur in nature, 
but they are usually sterile, at least for animals; they do not pass genes 
to the next generation. The mixing of cells from two embryos results in a 
chimera, and the cells may not all have the same DNA. If the chimera were 
fertile (making viable sperm or eggs, as appropriate), chances are the DNA 
of only one parent type would be passed on. Needless to say, chimeric 
animals are produced in the lab (and in mythology), not in nature.

It has been reported recently in the press that researchers have made mixed 
embryos between humans and pigs, and humans and cows:
 http://www.sunday-times.co.uk/news/pages/sti/2000/10/
08/stifgnaus01001.html 
http://www.msnbc.com/news/
214299.asp

Few details are available, but it seems as though only very early embryos 
of less than 100 cells were created, and that most of the DNA is human in 
origin. (It is also not clear to me if these should be considered as 
hybrids, I think that the chimera term is better.) Whether these tiny 
embryos can give rise to viable fetuses or organisms is unclear. The most 
important question really is: Should this be done?, not Can it be done? 

I don't have an informed answer, no one does, as the outcome of such 
experiments is so uncertain. Based on the uncertainty, my personal opinion 
is that research in this area needs to move very slowly. In addition, both 
legislators and members of the general public need to educate themselves 
about these issues, and consider both potential advantages and drawbacks. 
Some individuals are trying to raise the visibility of issues such as human 
cloning and human/animal chimeras. For example, see:
 http://
www.netlink.de/gen/Zeitung/1999/990618.htm

Also, scientific groups are trying to formulate recommendations:
  http://www.faseb.org/opar/ppp/

There is a lot more out there on this complex issue. I would like to 
encourage everyone out there to read and think about these issues. There is 
no reason to make hasty decisions, and blindly accept or reject technology 
without careful evaluation.