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ASRM BULLETIN
Volume 5, Number 3
January 10,
2003
Senators Will Introduce Bill To Outlaw Reproductive Cloning And Protect Stem Cell Research
On Wednesday, January 15, Senators Orrin Hatch (R-UT), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Arlen Specter (R-PA), Ted Kennedy (D-MA) and Tom Harkin (D-IA) will introduce the “Human Cloning Ban and Stem Cell Research Protection Act of 2003.” The objective of this bill is to make human reproductive cloning illegal while establishing a framework of regulation within which somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) to obtain stem cells (otherwise known as therapeutic or research cloning) can continue to be done.
Therapeutic cloning is a technique that would allow a patient’s own somatic, or body, cells to be used to create pluripotent stem cells that could be stimulated to grown into specific cells or tissues needed to cure the patient. The advantage of such cells over embryonic stem cells derived from spare IVF-created embryos is that they would be genetically identical to the patient and would not be rejected by his immune system.
The effort to forbid all uses of cloning technology has gained momentum with the recent, unsubstantiated announcement by the Raelians that a cloned baby had been born. Representative Dave Weldon (R-FL) has introduced legislation in the House that would ban all human SCNT, for all purposes. It is important that advocates of medical and scientific progress put an even greater amount of support behind those who want to keep this technology legal for the purpose of developing cures.
The Coalition for the Advancement of Medical Research, of which ASRM is a member, has been asked to help with a press conference on the introduction of the “Human Cloning Ban and Stem Cell Research Protection Act of 2003.” It will take place at noon Wednesday, the 15th, and will last approximately one hour. If any ASRM members are in town (Washington, DC) on that day and would like to attend, you are needed there. And if you are able to attend attired in a white doctor’s coat or labcoat, that would be especially helpful. Coming out in uniform will serve to distinguish you from Senators, staffers, and patients and will emphasize the seriousness with which the medical community regards this issue.
For further details on the time and location of the press conference, please contact Eleanor Nicoll at 202/863-2439 or enicoll@asrm-dc.org.
The ASRM Bulletin is published by ASRM's Office of Public Affairs to inform Society members of important recent developments. Republication or any other use of the contents of the Bulletin without permission is prohibited. To request permission to quote or excerpt material from the Bulletin, contact Sean Tipton at stipton@asrm-dc.org.
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