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AAAS
Urges United Nations to Endorse
Cloning for Research Purposes
AAAS,
the world's largest general science
society, urged the United Nations
to support embryonic cloning for
research or "therapeutic" purposes,
but ban all efforts to use cloning
for human reproduction.
"AAAS,
along with most of the world's mainstream
scientists, endorses a legally enforceable
ban on any efforts to clone a human
being," said Alan I. Leshner,
chief executive officer of AAAS and
executive publisher of its journal, Science. "Our fear of reproductive cloning is understandable
and appropriate. But, we must not
allow those concerns to block medical
advances that may someday be achieved
through other kinds of research that
involve cloned cells. AAAS urges
the United Nations to support research
cloning methods intended to alleviate
human suffering caused by injuries
and disease."
What
is research cloning, and how is it
different from reproductive cloning?
Both involve a technique called nuclear
transplantation-replacing the nucleus
of a donor's egg with the DNA from
an adult cell. Under certain conditions,
the resulting entity will begin developing
like a fertilized egg. In reproductive
cloning, the entity is implanted
into a uterus, where it has the potential
to develop into a full organism;
a clone of the donor of the adult
cell. In research cloning, the entity
is not implanted in a uterus. Instead,
after several days, researchers harvest
embryonic stem cells, which theoretically
can develop into any type of cell
and, according to many researchers,
may someday be used to treat neurodegenerative
diseases or other conditions.#
Founded
in 1848, the American Association
for the Advancement of Science
(AAAS) has worked to advance science
for human well-being through its
projects, programs and publications
in the areas of science policy,
science education and international
scientific cooperation.
Education
Update, Inc., P.O. Box 1588, New York, NY 10159.
Tel: (212) 477-5600. Fax: (212) 477-5893. Email: ednews1@aol.com.
All material is copyrighted and may not be printed without express
consent of the publisher. © 2003.
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