The Australian government has issued its first license allowing scientists to create cloned human embryos to try and obtain embryonic stem cells. The in vitro-fertilization firm Sydney IVF was granted the license and reportedly has access to 7,200 human eggs for its research. If the firm is successful it would be a world first.
Scientists in other countries have made stem cells they believe are similar to embryonic cells using a variety of techniques, but none have been able to extract embryonic stem cells from cloned human embryos.
An Australian ban on the research, known as therapeutic cloning or somatic cell nuclear transfer, was lifted in December 2006 after a rare conscience vote in the national parliament…Human cloning for reproductive purposes is banned…
Initially, any stem cells extracted would be used to test new drugs to fight diseases such as muscular dystrophy and Huntington’s disease, and later therapeutic cloning would be used to produce body tissue matched to patients.
The short answer is “Overdue”. Ethical considerations are always part of serious scientific advances. That doesn’t require politicians and priests.
If its not against the law, the only ethics that will apply will be those of the scientist. Simple.
I didn’t know this had previously been banned down under.
I’m not some Christian fundie but even my atheist mind can see nasty unethical sci-fi like things coming out of allowing this stuff.
Slippery slope issue. You allow it now for noble scientific purpose. Technology advances. Application violating very basic humanitarian principles arises and is hard to stop, because it becomes too trivial to do… EX. After this step is taken there is nothing to prevent growing “lab humans” for you to exchange your failing organs some time in the future. Star Wars clone army – why not, technology is there… And the same type of people who avoid ethical issue now will look away in such potential future and allow it.
#2. Yes, we have ethics down under. It just doesn’t get taught in business schools.
7200 eggs? I hope they don’t put the all in one basket.
Why it was unethical is stupid anyway. An embryo isn’t anything more than a cluster of cells till its developed a central nervous system. Its about time a government was able to struggle out from under the anti-science pro-woo-woo-magic religious bullshit that keeps holding back everything it can coz it might upset some stupid malicious beard in the sky god they think everyone should worship.
I’m working on clowning embryos. I want to breed babies to have squeaky noses, huge feet, red spiked hair and milky white skin. You’ll be able to fit a lot of them in a Mini Cooper.
#8
If you start with some Carrot top DNA you’d be halfway there.
All human embryos are sacred, don’t ya know. Even cloned ones, have to be given the chance to grow up and vote republican. You can’t morally mess with human life, until it’s eligible to serve in the Army. Then it can be messed with all they want to. Just ask John McCain.
Humans are animals. We clone lots of animals. This should not be a big deal. Plus, the research could help medical science in the future.