# Plain Language Summary: Human-Animal Chimera Prohibition Act of 2023

This bill makes it a federal crime to create or use human-animal chimeras—organisms that combine human and animal genetic material or cells. Specifically, it prohibits creating animals that contain human brain cells, human reproductive cells, or enough human cells that the animal could develop human-like consciousness or reasoning. The bill also bans importing these chimeras into the United States and requires anyone who currently possesses one to report it to federal authorities.

The law treats violations as a criminal offense, meaning researchers or companies that break these rules could face fines and imprisonment. There are some narrow exceptions for medical research that's already approved by institutional review boards (the committees that oversee research ethics), but these exceptions are limited. The bill essentially draws a legal line around what scientists can and cannot do when mixing human and animal biology in laboratory settings.

This affects biomedical researchers, pharmaceutical companies, and academic institutions that conduct genetic research. While much of this type of extreme chimera research isn't currently happening in the U.S., the bill prevents it from becoming possible in the future. For most everyday people, this won't have a direct impact on their lives, though it could potentially slow down certain types of medical research that might eventually lead to new treatments. The bill reflects concerns that creating animals with human-like brains or reproductive capabilities raises serious ethical questions about animal welfare and what it means to be human.

Human-Animal Chimera Prohibition Act of 2023

Braun, Mike

Human-Animal Chimera Prohibition Act of 2023 This bill establishes new federal crimes related to conduct involving certain types of human-animal chimeras. The term human-animal chimera means an organism that, from an early stage of development, contains human and nonhuman parts. This bill makes is unlawful to <ul> <li>create or attempt to create a prohibited human-animal chimera,</li> <li>transfer or attempt to transfer a human embryo into a nonhuman womb,</li> <li>transfer or attempt to transfer a nonhuman embryo into a human womb, or</li> <li>transport or receive for any purpose a prohibited human-animal chimera.</li> </ul> A violator is subject to civil and criminal penalties.