Top scientists back human cloning ban

More than 60 of the world's leading science academies have called for a UN ban on the reproductive cloning of humans, to prevent the exploitation of vulnerable people. But they also urged that any such ban should not extend to cloning human tissue for the treatment of diseases. Britain forbids human cloning but has given the go-ahead to research into so-called therapeutic cloning for diseases such as Parkinson's, multiple sclerosis and other conditions. The Royal Society, Britain's science academy, joined the call for an international ban on human cloning, along with a wider discussion of the possibilities opened up by the second type of research. Both begin with a single fertilized egg which doubles and doubles again to produce a ball of cells. " At that point this thing, often called an early embryo, is far less complex in any biological sense than the average potato, " said Lord May, president of the Royal Society. And the British government has got legislation in place that allows some research on cells from early human embryos. The Raelian cult triggered a storm last year by claiming to have cloned babies. In fact, it is believed no humans have yet been cloned. Although cows, sheep, pigs, rabbits, mice, a cat and a horse have been cloned there may be additional difficulties in cloning primates. " Recent reports about attempts by unscrupulous scientists to clone human beings have concerned the scientific community worldwide. Research indicates that human cloning is a threat to the health of both the Many science academies are trying to add their weight to efforts to introduce a global ban on human cloning. But legislation to work on stem cells derived from embryos is proving a much more difficult issue best dealt with at the national level. Nigel Williams reports.