UK to clone human cells

Guardian via Drudge ^ | 06.13.04

[Coleus]

UK to clone human cells

Antony Barnett and Robin McKie
Sunday June 13, 2004
The Observer

Scientists are set to be given approval this week to create the first cloned human embryo in Britain. The move is being hailed as a milestone in biological research by doctors, but has sparked fury among religious and anti-abortion groups.

The UK team seeking the go-ahead for the controversial experiment is led by Dr Miodrag Stojkovic, of Newcastle University. He plans to create dozens of cloned embryos using the same nuclear transfer technique that was employed by the scientists who created Dolly the sheep.

The cloned embryos will initially be exploited as sources of stem cells for treating diabetes patients.

'This is a great opportunity,' Stojkovic told The Observer last night. 'We are focusing on diabetes, but believe our work could lead to cures for other diseases like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. Our intention is not to create cloned humans, but to save lives.'

Stojkovic's application to carry out the human cloning experiment will be heard on Wednesday by the five members of the research committee of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA). The Observer has learnt that the HFEA has already given its support in principle to the research and has begun working with Newcastle University to make a public announcement about the project next month.

Cloning human embryos for therapeutic purposes was made legal by an amendment to the Human Embryology Act. Cloning humans for reproductive purposes - in other words to use the technology to create carbon copies of people - is still outlawed.

The first human embryo was cloned in South Korea in February when scientists used 242 eggs harvested from 16 volunteers to create more than 30 embryos. A similar experiment has been carried out in America. However, the go-ahead for such an experiment in Britain - where cloning was invented - is being seen a major world development in medical research.

The idea of the project is to use cloned embryos to create insulin-producing cells that can be transplanted to people suffering from diabetes,' said Professor Alison Murdoch of the Newcastle Centre for Life.

'By using the DNA from the patient as part of the cloning process, this will insure the new tissue will not be rejected by them. The eggs that will be used to make the embryos will be donated with patients' consent.

'Out of 10 eggs produced during IVF treatments on average seven are used. The other three are spare and would otherwise have been disregarded. We are not trying to clone a baby ... These embryos have no more moral status than blood taken from a patient.'

Nevertheless, the decision by the HFEA to support human cloning is likely to ignite a storm of protest.

'This is the start of a slippery slope,' said Conservative MP Ann Widdecombe. 'It is unnecessary to use embryo stem cells when many scientists believe stem cells taken from adults could be used.'

However, Alistair Kent of the Genetics Interest Group -an umbrella organisation representing families affected by genetic illnesses - said: 'We still have a long way to go before these techniques lead to new treatments for disease, but the quicker we act now the sooner they will be ready for use on patients.'

[Coleus]

Human Cloning

[COEXERJ145]

One day, we're going to open Pandora's Box and suffer the consequences for trying to play God and mess with things we should not tough.

[endthematrix]

I think we've already done that. END THE MATRIX

[gcruse]

Science is like the internet. It perceives censorship as damage and routs around it. Cloning and stem cell research are going to happen. When the dust settles and the benefits are known, the cry will go up in the US, "Who lost our lead?"