Slashdot Mirror
Britain Approves Human Cloning
albat0r writes: "The scientific community in Britain scored a huge victory on February 27th. A very influential and powerful committee in the House of Lords ruled that embryo cloning should be allowed to proceed-but only under strict conditions. The United States currently has ban on all forms of human cloning."
The link seems to be dysfunctional. In any case, if my memory serves, UK is approving cloning of stem cells, not human beings. Sensationalism? Slashdot? Surely not!
That means, you can't have x copies of your favourite kid. On the other hand, you're allowed to use aborted foetuses to start new stem cell lines for research.. And probably transplants & stuff in future. I suppose if you feel abortion is wrong, no matter what, this won't make things any more reprehensible. As for me, I like the idea of "no waste". I just wonder why they don't recycle organs from executed prisoners..
Britain Approves Human Cloning
February 28, 2002 8:10 CDT
The scientific community in Britain scored a huge victory on February 27th. A very influential and powerful committee in the House of Lords ruled that embryo cloning should be allowed to proceed-but only under strict conditions. The United States currently has ban on all forms of human cloning.
Richard Harries, the Bishop of Oxford, chaired the committee making the historic decision. He said that cells extracted from embryos within two weeks of fertilization could prove to be critical for researchers in finding a cure for such degenerative diseases like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. They could not in clear conscience cut off any avenue of research that might aid science in curing these diseases, he said.
Britain is no stranger to the human cloning controversy. Last year, they became the first country to explicitly allow the creation of embryos as a source of stem cells. These amazing cells are known as "master cells", and can morph into other cell types and become almost anything the brain needs. They are considered integral to finding cures for a wide range of neuro-degenerative diseases and spinal cord injuries, as well as those with acquired brain injuries.
Although this earlier ruling was hotly contested in court, it was eventually upheld by Parliament in that it was not officially revoked. The controversy was so severe that in essence it was effectively "on hold" pending the decision of the committee this past Wednesday. Critics of the whole idea are still outraged and adamant that this it tantamount to reproductive cloning and a short trip down a very slippery moral and ethical slope. The British Medical Association said they were thrilled with the committee's decision and the resulting hope that their action would bring to the families of patients who could benefit from the new technology.
The committee's decision was far from a cart-blanche approval for cloning. One of their conditions for granting a research license to clone human embryos was that it should only be done on the condition that any resulting cell line generated from it must be deposited in a stem cell bank. Future license seekers would first have to allow heath officials to make sure that there were no existing and appropriate cells lines already present in the bank's supply before proceeding.
The Medical Research Council applauded the Lords' suggestion to establish a stem cell registry, saying that it would allow researchers to explore the enormous potential of stem-cell research in a controlled environment. Actor Christopher Reeve was among those thrilled with the recent decision. Paralyzed since a horse-riding accident in 1995, he stated in an interview with the BBC that he would gladly travel anywhere in the world in order to receive "safe and appropriate treatment" that could aid in his recovery and help him accomplish his goal of walking again.
All the reaction has not been so glowingly positive. Critics are horrified at what they see as the evil potential of such a ruling. The Society for the Protection of Unborn Children insists that the entire committee was stacked with supporters of human cloning and that many members on the committee have a vested financial interest in embryo research going forward, making the entire ruling "a farce".
The independent watchdog Human Genetics Alert pleaded that a moratorium on embryo cloning should be put in place, "at least until there is a ban on reproductive cloning in place."
Source: Reuters
Cosmiverse Staff Writer
I just wonder why they don't recycle organs from executed prisoners..
A couple sci-fi writers have addressed this issue. I can only think of Larry Niven offhand, and his novel "A Gift From Earth" or the Gil Hamilton stories. Hypothetically, if a society starts to use criminals for organs, blood, experiments, etc, AND people start living much longer lives because of transplants, corruption is inevitable. People with desirable cell types get framed, or if they're lucky, can just donate an organ for their "punishment". If they're unlucky, they just vanish, minus a few valuable body parts.