Dear JY friends,
Very useful one.
Love,
Sunil
Chicago, USA
Where the Holy See Stands on Human Cloning
Supports a Worldwide and Comprehensive Ban
NEW YORK, MARCH 3, 2002 (Zenit.org).- The Holy See's mission at the United
Nations released this text last week on human cloning.
* * *
THE VIEWS OF THE HOLY SEE ON HUMAN CLONING
Contents
1. The Holy See's Position
2. The biological background of cloning
3. The possible purposes of human cloning
3.1 Cloning on human embryos as a way of making babies
3.2 Cloning human embryos as a means of producing stem cells
3.3 Cloning human embryos as a tool for studying genetic and epigenetic
processes
4. Human cloning-regardless of its objective-is contrary to the dignity and
integrity of human beings and their right to life
5. Human cloning done for any purpose contravenes basic precepts of
international law
6. Conclusion
1. The Holy See's Position
The Holy See firmly supports a world-wide and comprehensive ban on human
cloning, no matter what techniques are used and what aims are pursued. Its
position is based on (1) biological analysis of the cloning process and (2)
anthropological, social, ethical and legal reflection on the negative
implications that human cloning has on the life, the dignity, and the rights
of the human being.
Based on the biological and anthropological status of the human embryo and
on the fundamental moral and civil rule that it is illicit to kill an
innocent even to bring about a good for society, the Holy See regards the
conceptual distinction between "reproductive" and "therapeutic" (or
"experimental") human cloning as devoid of any ethical and legal ground.
The proposed ban on cloning is not intended to prohibit the use of cloning
techniques to obtain a number of biological entities (molecules, cells, and
tissues) other than human embryos, to generate plants, or to produce
non-human embryos and non-chimaeric (human-animal) embryos.
2. The Biological Background of Cloning
Within conceptual and experimental contexts, the term "cloning" has taken on
different meanings that in turn presume different technical procedures as
well as different aims. Cloning in itself refers to the production of a
biological entity which is genetically identical or very similar to the one
from which it originated. The term is used to indicate:
a. The production of a nucleic acid (DNA, RNA), a protein, or a cell line
starting from a single or a few copies of each of these entities. As
individual life is concerned, there are no peculiar ethical and legal
questions on these processes.
b. The generation, in an asexual artificial way, of one or more biological
individuals belonging to sexually-reproducing species (plants, animals, and
humans). As animals and humans are concerned, this can be done either by
disaggregating or subdividing an embryo ("embryo splitting") in its early
stages of development or through the transfer of a diploid nucleus of a cell
from an embryo, a fetus or an adult individual to a denucleated oocyte. In
the latter case, if successful, after activation the reconstructed oocyte
will develop into an embryo that is capable of further development to term.
Regardless of its destiny, a cloned embryo is a cloned individual of a given
species at the beginning of its life.
3. The Possible Purposes of Human Cloning
Human cloning is the scientific technique by which a human being is
generated. The early but unavoidable result of both embryo splitting and
nuclear transfer cloning is the reproduction of a human being at its
embryonic stage of development. Thus, human cloning and human embryo cloning
coincide, and they are identical with one another. Currently, there are
three purposes for which human cloning can be attempted.
3.1 Cloning human embryos as a way of making babies
When a cloned human embryo is implanted in the uterus of the woman to which
the generating egg belongs or of a surrogate mother, the delivery of a
newborn baby is expected following pregnancy, as has been demonstrated by
mammalian cloning. This use of human cloning has been improperly called
"reproductive cloning" since its ultimate goal is to reproduce an adult
human being.
3.2 Cloning human embryos as a mean of producing stem cells
A second objective of human cloning is to generate embryonic stem cells for
tissue engineering and transplantation or use in cell therapy. Once the
human embryo is cloned, its further development is arrested before
implantation (usually at the blastocyst stage) thereby destroying the
further development of the embryo. The proposed name of this sort of human
cloning, i.e. "therapeutic cloning", is misleading in that it confounds the
purpose of the action with the very nature of the process at stake. Indeed,
to produce embryonic stem cells a living human embryo has been deliberately
created and destroyed.
3.2 Cloning human embryos as a tool for studying genetic and epigenetic
processes
The transfer of a nucleus from a human tissue cell to an enucleated human
oocyte and the study of the embryonic development that follows may be
performed with an aim to understand the genetic and epigenetic mechanisms of
cell growth, potency, differentiation, regeneration and senescence. This
kind of experimental design in cell biology has been called "nucleus
reprogramming". Despite the innocent name, it involves cloning a human
embryo for the sole purpose of experimentation.
4. Human Cloning -- Regardless of Its Objectives -- Is Contrary to the
Dignity of Human Beings and Their Right to Life.
Even if cloning is pursued with the aim of making a human baby that will
mature into adulthood so that there is no destruction of the human embryo,
this activity is still an affront to the dignity of the human person. As a
form of unnatural asexual reproduction, it represents a radical manipulation
of the constitutive relationship and complementarity that are at the origin
of human procreation as a biological act and an exercise of human love.
Cloning objectifies human sexuality and commodifies the bodies of women.
Moreover, women are deprived of their innate dignity by becoming suppliers
of eggs and wombs. The dignity of the person cloned is similarly threatened
because other persons and technological powers exercise undisputed dominion
over the duration of this person's life or his or her unique identity.
Reproductive cloning threatens biological individuality and imposes the
genetic makeup of an already-existing person on the cloned person. In turn,
the cloned person is commandeered by another's external and internal profile
thereby constituting a violent attack on the clone's personal integrity.
Cloning accomplished for biomedical research ("nucleus reprogramming") or
producing stem cells ("therapeutic cloning") contributes to assaults against
the dignity and integrity of the human person just addressed in the context
of reproductive cloning. Cloning a human embryo, while intentionally
planning its demise, would institutionalize the deliberate, systemic
destruction of nascent human life in the name of unknown "good" of potential
therapy or scientific discovery. This prospect is repugnant to most people
including those who rightly advocate for advancement in science and
medicine. Indeed, nucleus transfer cloning is by no means the only or
superior way to tissue transplantation and cell therapy. The use of
multipotent autologous stem cells of post-natal origin together with
transdifferentiation approaches to tissue regeneration is a very promising
alternative to prevent immune rejection in patients who have received
transplants. In addition, the use of "wild-type" and transgenic animals is
another way to disclose cell biology's genetic and epigenetic mechanisms.
Medical experimentation on human subjects, as pointed out below, is a crime
under international law. This prospect is morally and ethically repugnant
even to those who generally favor scientific research. There currently exist
alternative methods of scientific cell research that accomplish the same
potential objectives without the need to clone a human embryo that will
inevitably be faced with destruction. To create life with the planned
intention of destroying it violates the basic norms of moral, ethical, and
legal considerations designed to protect the individuality and integrity of
each human being.
Since the founding of the United Nations, the centrality of the welfare and
protection of all human beings to the work of this organization is beyond
question. The safekeeping of present and succeeding generations of human
beings and the advancement of fundamental human rights is critical to the
work of the UN. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights reiterates the
sanctity of all human life and the compelling need to protect it from harm.
In this regard, Article 3 of the Declaration asserts that everyone has the
right to life. With life comes hope in the future -- a hope that the
Universal Declaration protects by acknowledging that all human beings are
equal in dignity and rights. With the right to life comes liberty and
security of the person. To ensure this, the Universal Declaration confirms
that each human being is an entity who is guaranteed a future filled with
the hope of self-determination. To further this end, conditions that degrade
any human being with servile status and deny the fundamental rights to life
and self-determination are reprehensible.
To better understand these points, it would be prudent to take stock of our
human nature at this stage. Each of us, regardless of nationality, gender,
race, ethnicity, or religion, share the same origin and are destined to
develop as members of communities beginning with the family, the natural and
fundamental unit of society. We strive to further our goals for self,
family, and country, but we also, as fellow human beings, are called to
further the common good for the present and future generations across the
globe. We do this to protect all who share and participate in the human
condition. However, if some human beings are destined to serve interests
that do not take account of these fundamental principles of human nature
that are at the center of the UN's concern, they are reduced to a servile
status that denies them the fundamental claim to life and self-determination
guaranteed to all. To clone a human being -- regardless of the goal1 -- is
to deny this person's basic ontological claim that unites him or her to the
rest of the human family. This human being has no hope in a self-determining
future because his or her individuality will be destroyed to further some
research purpose or to enhance the narcissism of a person who has already
existed. In either case, the cloned human being is reduced to enslavement
that contravenes the fundamental nature of human existence -- to be free and
to live as a unique individual capable of contributing to the development of
the self and society.
5. Human Cloning Contravenes Basic Precepts of International Law.
Various international instruments acknowledge that the dignity of the human
person is at the center of international law. Regardless of the objective
for which it was done, human cloning conflicts with the international legal
norms that protect human dignity. First of all, international law guarantees
the right to life to all, not just some, human beings. Facilitating the
formation of human beings who are destined for destruction, the intentional
destruction of cloned human beings once the particular research goal is
reached, consigning any human being to an existence of either involuntary
servitude or slavery, and being submitted to involuntary medical and
biological experimentation on human beings are morally wrong and
inadmissible. Human cloning also poses great threats to the rule of law by
enabling those responsible for cloning to select and propagate certain human
characteristics based on gender, race, etc. and eliminate others. This would
be akin to the practice of eugenics leading to the institution of a "super
race" and the inevitable discrimination against those born through the
natural process. Human cloning also denies those subjects who come into
being for research purposes international rights to due process and equal
protection of the law. In addition, it must be remembered that state
practice and the development of regional treaties have acknowledged that
human cloning conducted for any end is contrary to the rule of law.
6. Conclusion
Every process involving human cloning is in itself a reproductive process in
that it generates a human being at the very beginning of his or her
development, i.e., a human embryo. The Holy See regards the distinction
between "reproductive" and "therapeutic" (or "experimental") cloning as
unacceptable by principle since it is devoid of any ethical and legal
ground. This false distinction masks the reality of the creation of a human
being for the purpose of destroying him or her to produce embryonic stem
cell lines or to conduct other experimentation. Therefore, human cloning
should be prohibited in all cases regardless of the aims that are pursued.
The Holy See supports research on stem cells of post-natal origin since this
approach is a sound, promising, and ethical way to achieve tissue
transplantation and cell therapy.
1 Whilst these objectives have previously been discussed, it is worth
reiterating them here. One goal of human cloning focuses on the creation of
an embryo that will not be allowed to come to term. It will be used for
medical research and other objectives that have been labeled as
"therapeutic." Another purpose associated with human cloning is
"reproductive," i.e., the creation of a human embryo that will come to term
and replicate the person from whom his or her genetic material came.
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