Respect for Life

CLONING / EMBRYONIC STEM CELL RESEARCH

Scientists have used evasions and euphemisms to obscure the real moral issues involved in human cloning and embryonic stem cell research. Somatic nuclear cell transfer (cloning) is the joining of DNA from a parent with a woman's ovum, to create a human embryo. These very scientists describe this human embryo as toti-potent. A child conceived naturally by a mother and a father is a toti-potent embryo, capable of developing into a baby within the mother's womb. Researchers, who have justified therapeutic cloning, predict great medical cures through the embryonic stem cells that can be extracted from the human embryos. They forecast cures for diabetes, cancer, Parkinson's disease, and many other diseases. The truth of the matter is that no one has benefited from transplanted embryonic stem cells. However, many documented successes have occurred in the treatment of diseases through adult stem cell transplantation. Adults do not have to be killed, as embryos do, in the process of donating their stem cells. There also are other acceptable sources of stem cells, such as umbilical cord and placental sources. Currently under consideration by the United States Senate are two forms of legislation to ban cloning. One such "ban" is really a mechanism to allow therapeutic cloning. A true cloning ban prevents both therapeutic and reproductive cloning. The House of Representatives has voted to ban both forms of cloning. Unbelievably, there is great possibility that the Senate may vote to allow therapeutic cloning.