“We don’t know exactly what is being done.”

This group of researchers has developed such human embryos industrially and using stem cells, which allowed it to dispense with the basic biological elements for its formation.

The news is a continuation of a previous discovery that led to the creation of an in vitro model artificial mouse embryos. Now, a type of typical embryo has been cloned outside the womb, similar to those found in the early stages of human development (blastocysts).

Surprisingly, this experiment was accepted by the corresponding ethics committeeJavier B. CastellsProfessor of Organic Chemistry San Pablo CEU

– What is the feeling and what opinion does the news leave you with?

Surprise and concern. So far, I’m aware of experiments of this kind on rats and other species. Surprisingly, this experiment was accepted by the corresponding ethics committee. They’re working on something that for better or worse has no legal coverage and we don’t know exactly what we’re doing.

cloning?

– What consequences can you come up with, with so little information we have?

The problem is that at the moment I don’t think anyone knows what they’re made of. The essence of this research is that they have reprogrammed embryonic cells that, in principle, can develop everything that is an embryo: from the placenta to the organs of the future human being. The researchers explained that this is not a fetus per se. In experiments on rats, it was noted that they were able to develop something that could be similar to a brain or a heart, but later, when trying to implant them in the womb, they were not viable. Now it is essence Is that we do not know what we are doing, because if it is a real embryo we can talk about the principle of cloning, a genetic copy.

If we just develop a tissue with some of these properties, we don’t know what it’s created, so I think the necessary ethical reasoning hasn’t been done to take this step. In addition, there is no legal coverage since no one has thought to legislate it. The oblivion in which we find ourselves lies in not knowing whether we have manipulated human life or, on the other hand, facing an interesting discovery if we understand that man was not created.

To achieve a supposed good, what cannot be done is to incur a much greater evil.Javier B. CastellsProfessor of Organic Chemistry San Pablo CEU

– For those outside the scientific world, how can you give the green light to this kind of situation without clear legislation?

Because there is no agreed upon morality. There is talk of possible progress, for example, on the issue of spontaneous abortion and its causes, as well as other types of reproductive disorders. But there is an earlier question: to achieve a supposed good, what cannot be done is to incur a much greater evil, although we still do not know whether this is the case, because we do not have enough information. But the ethical discussion should have been prior and not done. There are interests in sponsoring the advance, but it is convenient not to rush. There is a lot to think about and discuss.

Where is the ball court now?

– If it is tissue from reprogrammed stem cells that has not yet been considered a human embryo, it may have a positive side that prevents the use of real human embryos in research, because we now have this type of tissue. What happens is that there is a lack of information and it is too unknown to know.

In the first place, with regard to this investigation, there may be interference by lawmakers that makes it necessary to stop this type of investigation until more is known in order to conclude whether or not the investigation should continue. International ethics committees can and should make themselves known.