Copyright 2001 The Atlanta Constitution The Atlanta
Journal and Constitution
August 8, 2001 Wednesday, Home Edition
SECTION: News; Pg. 3A
LENGTH:
691 words
HEADLINE: Scientists in battle over human cloning
BYLINE: HERVEY
PEAN
SOURCE: AJC
BODY: Washington --- Three scientists announced at a
contentious conference Tuesday that they are prepared to start cloning 200
humans as early as November.
"Infertility is a
disability, and with this technology we can safely and efficiently help couples
who want to reproduce," Panos Zavos, a Kentucky-based doctor, said during a
meeting at the National Academy of Sciences.
Zavos and
Italian doctor Severino Antinori said they would use techniques similar to those
used to clone animals.
Under the glare of television
lights, the researchers had to defend their plans against the claims of 28 other
international scientists who say human cloning is not safe.
Ian Wilmut, the scientist who created Dolly, a cloned
sheep, said human cloning is a "disconcerting concept." Wilmut said cloning is
inefficient and too full of errors to be done on humans; he said it took some
277 tries to create Dolly.
"We can expect late
abortions, dead children and surviving but abnormal children," Wilmut said
during the conference.
Rudolf Jaenisch, a biologist at
the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and pioneer in animal cloning,
agreed.
"This is not acceptable; this is not
responsible," Jaenisch told the group of cloning advocates. "There is no way to
predict whether a given clone will develop into a normal or abnormal
individual."
The panel is gathering information on the
scientific and ethical issues surrounding human cloning for a report on whether
the United States should impose a moratorium on the practice. The Academy's
Committee of Science, Engineering and Public Policy will issue the report in
September.
In the cloning process, the genes of a cell
are implanted into a human egg from which all the genetic material has been
removed. The egg, which is then cultured into an embryo, is implanted in the
mother's womb. The offspring would have the same gene makeup as the cell
donor.
Brigitte Boisselier, director of Clonaid, the
first human cloning company, said she is prepared, immediately, to clone babies
for infertile couples. Boisselier would not say what methods she plans to use or
what the results of Clonaid's previous cloning attempts have been.
"There are huge demands for this, and these people need to
be considered," Boisselier said. "I do believe that it's a fundamental right to
reproduce the way you want. If you want to reproduce by mixing your genes with
someone else's, you have the right. If you want to reproduce yourself by cloning
your genes, you have the right."
Both Zavos and
Antinori attacked anti-cloning legislation that was passed in the House last
week. The cloning ban would impose fines of $1 million or more and as many as 10
years in prison for violators. The Senate has not yet considered the
legislation.
President Bush supports the ban on cloning
and called the House action "a strong ethical statement."
The Food and Drug Administration has prohibited human cloning in the
United States.
Zavos said the cloning experiment would
take place in an undisclosed location outside of the United States. He also
expressed dismay at the "attitude" of the public and Congress toward human
cloning.
"They're afraid, they're scared, and they're
misinformed," said Zavos, who is the director of the Andrology Institute. "If
the politicians are going to behave the way they do, they will force this
technology into clandestine labs."
Zavos and Antinori
said they let their patients know that cloning is dangerous and that their
offspring might die or be born with abnormalities.
"These are some of the possible problems, but they are the same
problems with in-vitro fertilization," Zavos said. In-vitro fertilization is an
assisted reproduction technique in which fertilization is accomplished outside
of the body.
Zavos and Antinori said all patients must
sign a series of consent forms before beginning the cloning process. Both
doctors said they have explored all considerations around the debate and are
prepared to move forward.
"They are calling us mad
scientists. We're not," Zavos said. "If the process is not successful, we will
discontinue our efforts."
GRAPHIC: Graphic: CLONING One of many possible variations; in this example,
the woman from a completely infertile couple is cloned. MotherOs DNA inserted
into a donated egg and a surrogate carries the fetus. Mother DNA extracted from a cell Egg donor DonorOs DNA
removed, motherOs DNA inserted Surrogate mother Egg
implanted Child Genes identical to motherOs Source:
Encyclopaedia Britannica / Knight Ridder Tribune Photo: Italian doctor Severino Antinori (left) participates in a contentious
debate on cloning Tuesday at the National Academy of Sciences in Washington. /
RON EDMONDS / Associated Press
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