Hybrids and Chimeras
Sciencewise-ERC funded project 2006
Background
This project was part of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority’s (HFEA) public and stakeholder consultation on hybrids and chimera embryos. This was carried out to guide the Authority’s recommendations to Government on whether this type of research should be allowed in the future. Find out more about the project background.
Aims and Objectives
- Engage stakeholders in the scoping and development of dialogue.
- Undertake a deliberative dialogue process with a diverse set of the public which aligned with the Government’s Guiding Principles for Public Dialogue on Science and Technology
- Capture, analyse and report the results of the dialogue to inform policy recommendations.
Delivered By
Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA)
Commissioning agent for this project, the HFEA is responsible for licensing and monitoring UK fertility clinics and all UK research involving human embryos, and providing impartial and authoritative information to the public.
Opinion Leader
Opinion Leader is a research-based consultancy with expertise in influence, deliberative engagement, dialogue and insight.
Shared Practice
Shared Practice is an interdisciplinary practice and that conducted the evaluation of this project.
Latest Status Updates
This project is now complete. Find out more to the right.
Find Out More
Key Impacts
- The results of the public dialogue were fed into the wider stakeholder consultation, which resulted in the HFEA announcing on 5 September 2007 that, having taken account of all views, it had decided to allow hybrid/chimera embryo research in principle, under strict guidelines.
- The Authority then went on to grant licence applications from researchers at two UK universities to carry out research using hybrid/chimera embryos.
Resources
Project Quotes
“There is a clear demand from people to know more about what researchers are doing and their plans for future work, highlighting a need for better communication about science and research from both the scientific community and ourselves as regulator.”Charles Lister, Head of Policy, HFEA, quoted in case study
“Well it definitely helped the authority come to a robust decision as it gave in depth knowledge of public opinion and the reasoning behind it. With questionnaires you don’t get the rationale behind it.”Policy maker