New UK Row on Embryo Research: Edwards in Fresh Ethical Contretemps

Abstract

Dr. Robert Edwards touched off public controversy and professional condemnation in Great Britain when he reported that he had been experimenting on "spare" viable human embryos from in vitro fertilization operations. Edwards revealed he had cultured embryos for as long as nine days in implantation studies. He expressed support for permitting even longer culturing to obtain immunologically compatible "spare part tissue," but only by licensed researchers after "strong ethical advice." (KIE abstract)