Fungal familiarities

Animal studies on reproductive cloning show a high incidence of fetal disorders and spontaneous abortions, and malformation and death among newborns. There is no reason to suppose that the outcome would be different in humans,” says May. The birth of Dolly the sheep in 1996, cloned from a cell from the mammary gland of another sheep, raised hopes of growing heart or nervous tissue to treat coronary or neurodegenerative diseases. But the 16,000 scientists represented by 63 academies believe that nations should make up their own minds on whether research should be allowed on embryo-derived stem cells. “Opinions on the ethics of therapeutic cloning in different countries are divided. It would be a tragedy if we allowed disagreements on therapeutic cloning to jeopardize a convention that could ensure that human reproductive cloning is outlawed across the globe and protect vulnerable people from unscrupulous individuals,” says May. “A UN convention will put pressure on countries to pass legislation banning this unsafe and unethical practice. Policy on therapeutic cloning should be excluded from the UN convention and determined at national level.” Richard Gardner, chair of the Royal Society’s recent studies into stem cell research said that the society urged “all other nations, particularly the United States, to introduce and support appropriate regulations that would create a worldwide moratorium on human reproductive cloning, regardless of whether it is funded publicly or privately.” In the US, despite some breakthroughs, research on human-derived stem cells has been handicapped by the President’s decision two years ago to allow work only on stem cell lines developed earlier. Scientists have testified before Congress that research is still all but paralysed in this area because of the government’s decision. Current Biology Vol 13 No 20 R786