-
-
Friends of the Earth -U.S.
on
-
Cloning and Inheritable
Genetic Modification
Friends of the Earth is
concerned about the genetic engineering of all life. Genetic
engineering poses the threat of biological pollution - a new form of
pollution that moves and multiplies and cannot be recalled. Genetic
engineering can create changes that are widespread, enduring and
irreversible. Production of multiple copies of an individual or
engineering of inheritable modifications could adversely affect
entire species and ecosystems. Therefore,
We are opposed to
reproductive cloning and genetic engineering of inheritable traits
in human beings and animals.
Friends of the Earth is not
opposed to genetic changes that affect an individual but are not
inheritable (termed "somatic engineering"). Such changes hold
promise, for example, as medical therapies and do not pose a threat
of passing on potentially harmful or species-altering
traits.
Unfortunately, our legal
system has not caught up with the new genetic technologies. There
are no laws or regulations in place, for instance, to prevent human
embryos cloned for therapeutic medical research from being used for
human reproduction. Therefore,
- We support a moratorium
on human embryo cloning for therapeutic uses until there
are:
- 1. A ban on reproductive
cloning
2. Severe criminal penalties for human reproductive
cloning
3. Regulatory controls to prevent the exportation of
cloned embryos for human reproduction
4. Federal government
oversight of laboratories that plan to investigate therapeutic
cloning
Friends of the Earth supports
research into various therapeutic approaches that do not involve
cloned human embryos. These include adult stem cell development and
direct tissue regeneration.
|