National Academies' Report Supports Therapeutic Cloning
January 25, 2002 - The United States should ban human reproductive cloning aimed at creating
a child, according to a National Academies' report
released Jan. 18 that considers only the scientific and medical aspects
of this issue, plus ethical issues that pertain to human-subjects research.
Based on experience with reproductive cloning in animals, the report,
entitled Scientific and Medical Aspects of Human Reproductive Cloning,
concludes that human reproductive cloning would be dangerous for the
woman, fetus, and newborn, and is likely to fail. The study panel did
not address the issue of whether human reproductive cloning, even if
it were found to be medically safe, would be - or would not be - acceptable
to individuals or society.
"Data on the reproductive cloning of animals demonstrate that
only a small percentage of attempts are successful, many of the clones
die during all stages of gestation, newborn clones often are abnormal
or die, and the procedures may carry serious risks for the mother,"
said Irving L. Weissman, chair of the panel that wrote the report and
professor of pathology, cancer biology, and developmental biology at
Stanford University. "The proposed ban on human cloning should
be reviewed within five years, but it should be reconsidered only if
a new scientific review indicates that the procedures are likely to
be safe and effective, and if a broad national dialogue on societal,
religious, and ethical issues suggests that reconsideration is warranted."
At the same time, the panel concluded that the scientific and medical
considerations that justify a ban on human reproductive cloning at this
time are not applicable to nuclear transplantation to produce stem cells.
Unlike reproductive cloning, the creation of embryonic stem cells by
nuclear transplantation - which also has been called nonreproductive
cloning, therapeutic cloning, research cloning, or somatic cell nuclear
transfer - does not involve implantation of a blastocyst in a uterus.
Because of the considerable potential for developing new medical therapies
to treat life-threatening diseases and advancing biomedical knowledge,
the panel supported the conclusion of a September 2001 National Academies'
report - Stem Cells and the Future of Regenerative Medicine - that biomedical
research using nuclear transplantation to produce stem cells be permitted.
The panel stressed that all concerned segments of society should examine
and debate the broad societal, religious, and ethical issues associated
with human reproductive cloning, as well as those associated with nuclear
transplantation to produce stem cells. Although this report focuses
on the scientific and medical aspects of these areas, it should help
to inform this broader consideration by society.
Information: Dave Moore, Senior Director
AAMC Government Relations
dbmoore@aamc.org
(202) 828-0525
Get Washington Highlights
in your Inbox!
|
