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Robert Klitzman on the Ethics of Human-Animal Embryos

Bioethics program director Robert Klitzman shared his expertise in an article about human-animal embryos, which are called chimeras. The Yahoo! News UK article highlights the medical potential as well as the ethical pitfalls involved in the research, which may soon be funded in the U.S.

Klitzman says that the experimentation could be helpful for researching diseases of the brain, such as schizophrenia and Alzheimer’s, but scientists must be cautious with human brain cells. An animal with human-like qualities could create “a number of problems,” including its rights and treatment. He urges the National Institute of Health to “include ethicists on its funding oversight committee.”

Read the piece in its entirety on Yahoo! News UK. Learn more about the Master of Science in Bioethics at the School of Professional Studies.