The source of all this worry? The US House of Representatives passed July 31 by a wide margin a bill (H.R. 2505) sponsored by Reps. David Weldon (R-Fla.) and Bart Stupak (D-Mich.) that would ban the cloning of human cells for reproduction as well as for research. Of particular concern to scientists, the bill outlaws somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) using human cells, a mechanism required in the new field of regenerative medicine. Potential uses for such therapeutic cloning include creating immune-compatible replacement tissue for diseased organs, such as the heart and pancreas, and treatments for neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's.
Scientists, ethicists, and politicians agree that human reproductive cloning should not be permitted. Therapeutic cloning is another matter, however. While most researchers in the field argue that human therapeutic cloning through SCNT will result in medical breakthroughs, some ethicists assert it must be banned because it will ...
