Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer and the Scare Mongers -- A Comment from Bernie Tuch. (September 27, 2006)

    Professor Bernie Tuch who heads the Diabetes Transplant Centre at the University of New South Wales was interviewed recently by Australian Life Sciences regarding the current debate on stem cell research and the implementation of the recommendations of the Lockhart Review.

A short extract:

When asked what scientists should do when the Federal Minister for Health, Tony Abbott, refers to 'animal-human hybrids' as a result of somatic cell nuclear transfer, Tuch said the short answer was to do nothing.

 

    "Our society is such that we can deal with people who make claims that are designed to scare people and aren't based upon the truth of the matter."

 

     He said the best illustration was a cartoon that appeared in Sydney's Sun-Herald newspaper on August 20, featuring a rogues' gallery of federal cabinet as human-animal hybrids. John Howard is a rodent, Peter Costello the faithful dog at his feet, Philip Ruddock a particularly bloodless bat and Tony Abbott is curled up on top of his chair with a Cheshire cat grin.

 

    "The community is bright enough to be able to see through these scare tactics that are being put up and none of which is of any relevance to the debate," Tuch said.