HTTP://WWW.STOPNATO.ORG.UK ---------------------------
I find it to be an eerie coincidence that on the same day that the US cloned their first human embryo they also sent ground troops into Afghanistan. On the one hand, we believe that we are so technologically advanced, to be able to clone an embryo, yet at the same time, we are doing absolutely barbaric things in Afghanistan. There are many reasons for ethical concerns over cloning, eg. the creation of living beings for stem cell research, or for spare parts for other humans. Considering the fact that our leaders can put technology to such evil uses, such as high-tech missiles that kill innocnet people, I don't know how we can trust them with the technology of human cloning either. Only when our morals and ethics advance with our technology can we really advance as a society. Cloning of human embryos sparks fierce debate 27.11.2001 By MARTIN JOHNSTON and AGENCIES The cloning of a microscopic human embryo by an American company has raised hopes for a new source of special cells to treat many diseases. The announcement by Massachusetts-based Advanced Cell Technology (ACT) is the first time anyone has reported successfully cloning a human embryo. It has prompted fierce debate worldwide on the ethics of human cloning. Opponents warn that the experiments might lead to cloned babies, but the company says it does not want to do this. "Our intention ... is to make lifesaving therapies for a wide range of human disease conditions, including diabetes, strokes, cancer, Aids and ... Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease," said Dr Robert Lanza, a scientific leader for ACT. The company wanted to obtain embryonic stem cells, the "master cells" thought to have the potential to develop into virtually every other type of cell in the body. It is hoped they could be used to treat many degenerative diseases. In an on-line journal, Scientific American, Dr Lanza and colleagues said their most promising result was developing an embryo to the point where it contained six cells before it stopped growing. To do this, they sucked the genetic material from the centre of a mature egg using an extremely fine needle, injecting in its place a "cumulus" cell which normally nurtures a developing egg. They also experimented with injecting adult skin cells. In a separate experiment, the researchers induced immature eggs to reprogramme themselves to develop into early embryos. Neither experiment produced the coveted stem cells. These cells can come from adults, but the most flexible source so far seems to be very early embryos left over from attempts to make test-tube babies. New Zealand fertility and genetic experts said yesterday that they were unaware of anyone here experimenting with therapeutic human cloning or harvesting stem cells from "spare" embryos. Two private members' bills before Parliament's health select committee would ban human cloning and place new controls on fertility treatment. Officials are drafting the Government's amendments to the bills, and Prime Minister Helen Clark hopes they will go to the cabinet within months. A spokesman said the Government was concerned about human cloning. Diabetes Youth New Zealand vice-president Crystal Bridger said the diabetes community would like to see research such as therapeutic cloning encouraged. But curing child-onset diabetes by injecting replacement, insulin-producing islet cells developed from stem cells was well in the future. Problems, like how to prevent the immune system from destroying the new cells, needed to be solved first. Greens co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimons said the therapeutic cloning of human embryos raised serious problems. "If it is allowed, there will be people who will grow those embryos on to full term. "The Greens are totally opposed to using cloning for making carbon copies of individual human beings," said Ms Fitzsimons. But the party had not finalised its policy on the extent to which stem cell research should be permitted. The US Congress has moved to outlaw all human cloning. A proposed law is under consideration by the Senate. The White House yesterday reiterated President George W. Bush's opposition to human cloning. ==^================================================================ This email was sent to: archive@jab.org EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?a84x2u.a9WB2D Or send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^================================================================
