Reproductive cloning:
Developments reported in
the media, from 2003 to now
Sponsored link.
Note:
The following news items relate to reproductive cloning: the
creation of a newborn human or other animal who is an exact duplication of
an existing person. It would be a profoundly immoral action if it is ever
done using human DNA.. Experiments on animals have shown a large rate of
birth and developmental defects. The following news items do not describe therapeutic cloning: the creation
of pre-embryos in order to extract their stem cells and construct a human
organ.
See another essay for information on U.S. legislation at the Federal and State levels
which have attempted to regulate human therapeutic and reproductive cloning.
News items on therapeutic (a.k.a. research) cloning is described
elsewhere.
News items during 2003:
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2003-JAN-6: U.S.: Scientist ends attempts to evaluate Clonaid claims:
Clonaid, a U.S. company linked to the Raelian religious group claims
that the world's first cloned baby was born on 2002-DEC-26. The company
refused the offer of a team of leading U.S. scientists to test the mother
and child to evaluate the cloning claim. They were given no access to the
family and thus were unable to verify that the baby was cloned. Clonaid has
allegedly stated that the parents of their baby "Eve" were unwilling
to allow DNA tests because they might be required to reveal their identity.
5 |
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2003-FEB-18: Scotland: Dolly is euthanized:
Dolly, the first cloned mammal, was put down by a lethal injection. She
was six years old and suffering from lung cancer caused by a virus, and
arthritis. The autopsy did not find any no other signs of premature aging.
She will be stuffed and exhibited in the National Museum of Scotland.
She is survived by three or four lambs. 6 |
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2003-MAR-25: Brazil: Raelians distribute picture of cloned baby:
Brigette Boisselier, president of Clonaid -- a company linked to the Raelian
religious group -- distributed photos of what they allege to be the third
cloned human baby, a Japanese newborn. They promised DNA proof that the
newborn is an actual clone. It was never supplied. Most observers have
dismissed their claims as a hoax. 4 |
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2003-APR-10: USA: Scientists say that human reproductive cloning may
be impossible: Scientists have successfully cloned various species of
mammals, including sheep, mice and cattle. But all attempts to clone monkeys
have failed. They suspect that the biological makeup of the eggs of humans
and other primates might make cloning impossible. BBC News reports that: "The
obstacle appears to be something to do with the way genetic material is
parcelled up as a cell splits into two during embryonic development. Cells
end up with too much, or too little DNA, and cannot survive." Dr Gerald
Schatten told the journal Science "This reinforces the fact that
the charlatans who claim to have cloned humans have never understood enough
cell or developmental biology (to succeed)." 3 |
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2003-SEP-22: World: Scientist from around the world condemn
reproductive cloning. According to BBC News: "The Inter-Academy
Panel, a network of scientific societies representing the world's leading
researchers, has called for a specific ban on what they term reproductive
cloning. It is not opposed to the use of [therapeutic] cloning techniques to
find treatments for incurable diseases." Lord May, the president of the
Royal Society in the UK said that reproductive cloning was a threat to the
health of the mother and child; it is "grossly irresponsible." 2 |
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2003-DEC-24:
France: Lower house of parliament passes anti-cloning bill: The
French Parliament has passed a bill that would make reproductive cloning
a crime against humanity, punishable by 30 years in jail and a
multi-million dollar fine. It would also ban cloning "for
therapeutic purposes, the creation of stem cells for medical research,
and key techniques used in embryo research." . 1 |
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2004 to now: There have been no
significant developments in reproductive cloning: Scientists realize
that reproductive cloning cannot be done with today's techniques because
of the likelihood of birth defects or of defects that will only become
apparent later in life. We suspect that research in this field is dead. |
More detailed and comprehensive media accounts on reproductive and therapeutic cloning
are available at:
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BioExchange, at:
http://www.bioexchange.com/ It "is a science network of specialized
e-marketplaces, value-added information & resources, and industry-specific
e-business services." |
|
Americans to Ban Cloning, at:
http://www.cloninginformation.org/
This group "promote a global, comprehensive ban on human [therapeutic
and reproductive] cloning."
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"French parliament backs human cloning ban,"
Reuters, 2003-DEC-19, at:
http://www.sabcnews.com/
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"Call for ban on human cloning. It may not be possible to clone a
baby. Scientists from around the world have called for an international ban
on the cloning of humans to make babies," BBC News, 2003-SEP-22, at:
http://news.bbc.co.uk
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"Human cloning 'flawed'. Human cloning may never be possible because
of a quirk of biology." BBC News, 2003-APR-10, at:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/
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"Company shows 'cloned baby'. A company claiming to have created the
world's first cloned babies has distributed a photograph of one of the
'clones' for the first time," BBC News, 2003-MAR-25, at:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/
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" 'Clone' baby inquiry suspended," BBC News, 2003-JAN-6, at:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/
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John Whitfield, "Obituary: Dolly the sheep. Celebrity clone dies of drug
overdose," Nature Science Update, 2003-FEB-18, at:
http://www.nature.com/
Copyright ©2003 to 2007 by Ontario Consultants on
Religious Tolerance
Last updated 2007-FEB-23
Author: Bruce A Robinson
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