AS YOU ALL probably know, it's starting to happen, yet with the (soon to be erased?) distinction: human EMBRYOS have been cloned for some time now, through cells, it was reported yesterday. But not human beings themselves, i.e. through eggs and all. For the 'official' gov't. response in US, and Vatican's response, click here. Oh wait, Iforgot I'm html-link-illiterate.
Copy and paste this: http://my.aol.com/news/news_story.psp?type=1&cat=0100&id=0111262251471726
For a news blip, read on:
BOSTON (Nov. 26) - A company's claim that it is first to clone a human embryo has drawn opposition from the White House, the Vatican and other abortion foes who see it as a step toward cloning human beings.
Researchers at Advanced Cell Technology in Worcester say they hope to develop genetically compatible replacement cells for patients with a range of illnesses - not human clones.
''This work sets the stage for human therapeutic cloning as a potentially limitless source of immune-compatible cells for tissue engineering and transplantation medicine,'' said Dr. Robert P. Lanza, one of the company's researchers.
..cont:
Advanced Cell Technology announced its findings Sunday online in the journal e-biomed: The Journal of Regenerative Medicine. The research was also described online in Scientific American.
Glenn McGee, a critic of the company who once sat on its ethics board,said its announcement was premature and would serve only to encourage opposition to cloning. McGee, a University of Pennsylvania bioethicist, called the announcement ''nothing but hype.''
He said the company's report lacks any significant details, including what cells company scientists actually grew from the cloned embryo.
''They are doing science by press release,'' he said.
...cont:
Other researchers also have plunged into cloning. Some aim at reproductive cloning to produce a new person, but most hope to carry out therapeutic cloning to yield stem cells for treating spinal cord injuries, heart disease, cancer and other ailments.
A second company quickly claimed in unpublished research Sunday it had also cloned human embryos. That company, Clonaid, hopes eventually to clone human beings. ''I'm very pleased that I'm not alone,'' Director Brigitte Boisselier said. ''We're doing embryos every day.''
She refused to give details of the work. The company says it keeps its laboratory location secret for security reasons.
Many scientists say cloning of cows, sheep and other animals has produced some mysterious defects. They say the science is too weak to justify cloning a person, but they hold strong hope for cloning to produce replacement cells.
― Vic, Tuesday, 27 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)
― Kris, Tuesday, 27 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)
― anthonyeaston, Tuesday, 27 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)
i REALLY REALLY can't get worked up abt cloning cuz i. it won't work ii. if it does, the losers won't be ordinary us but weird them iii. what was wrong with mengele wasn't the science it was his JOB AT A CONCENTRATION CAMP (no spooky frankenstein shit there, just nazis with guns, hullo). iv. it really really won't work: it's four parts wishful thinking to one part bad genetics
― mark s, Tuesday, 27 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)
― Alan Trewartha, Tuesday, 27 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)
― anthony, Tuesday, 27 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)
Do you want a clone of yourself? Why?
With regards to cloning for organ harvesting, or other medical research - I think there are actually laws in place which again would cover this (ie laws of consent on transplants).
I think the Eugenics argument is the most interesting one, and I haven't completely got a tap on, but designer babies is certainly not just a cloning issue - its much more in the realm of DNA research. Is the eradication of genetic diseases though a million miles away from the manipulation of social factors which has helped eradicate disease by ensuring that more people have access to clean water, food and heating. Isn't that meddling in a similar way? I find it vaguely patronising when people suggest that people dying in pain & agony may have contributed more than if they had lived a health life (the argument used last night). It is possible, but if you gave them the choice...
In the end the general public need to be educated about the principles involved and not rushed into making knee jerk sound bites for a media who thrive on controversy that often they whip up.
― Pete, Tuesday, 27 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)
I'm with Mark and Pete on this in a lot of ways. Right now all I'm thinking is that Lucas is chortling away about all the free advertising.
― Ned Raggett, Tuesday, 27 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)
Surely Dan's hair is too short for you to strangle him with it?
― RickyT, Tuesday, 27 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)
Experiment will be massively unsuccessful SOCIALLY ages before quasi-"industrial" (let alone invountary) stages: it is being embraced because it is claimed it will produce SUPERHUMANS; but the first generation of engineered posh-kid monumental fuck-ups — unable to deal with a. pressure of perfection or b. eidence of sublimated hatred of parents towards them in their "natural" state — will induce a MASSIVE CHILL in the industry.
Plus as i said it depends on a v.silly and self-defeating version of genetics. (eg since neither intelligence nor homosexuality are genetically determined in any intelligible sense, attempts to fast-track one and suppress the other will simply and endlessly FAIL…)
Mengele could ONLY FLOURISH in a fascist society, Anthony. Trend in medical politics is massively towards MORE INTERFERENCE in scientific process by ordinary punters than vice versa.
Hm...he could try for the Treach out of Naughty by Nature look.
― Sterling Clover, Tuesday, 27 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)
― Gale Deslongchamps, Tuesday, 27 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)
― Mr Noodles, Tuesday, 27 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)