by John M. Curtis
(310) 204-8700

Copyright November 26, 2001
All Rights Reserved.

reating the miracle of human life, Massachusetts-based Advanced Cell Technology reported in the online Journal of Regenerative Disease that it successfully cloned human cells. While only lasting a few days, company CEO Michael West announced that his firm was the first to manufacture embryonic cells called blastocysts from 19 specially treated human egg cells. West's brazen press release caused conniptions in Washington, once again stirring passions about embryonic stem cells and human cloning. Ecstatic about the findings, West viewed the research as "the first halting steps" toward medical breakthroughs in cellular biology, promising future treatments for incurable diseases. Embryonic stem cells hold the promise of reversing disease or injury by actually growing new healthy tissue. "It looks like this is going to be possible," said West, mindful of the preliminary nature of research but sensitive to the looming controversy, originating from the religious right. Unlike other reproductive zealots, West insists that his company has no plans of cloning human beings.

      Opposition to human cloning typically stems from bioethicists or religious groups, dredging up macabre images of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. Tinkering with God or nature carry inherent risks, including dangerous aberrations, or so say groups like the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and National Right to Life Committee. "This corporation [Advanced Cell Technology] is creating human embryos for the sole purpose of killing them and harvesting their cells," said national spokesman Douglas Johnson. "Unless Congress acts quickly this corporation and others will be opening up human embryo farms," said Johnson, showing the same kind of hyperbole attached to abortion. Unlike the religious right, objections from groups like the American Society for Reproductive Medicine hinge mostly on medical safety. "The battle against cloning so far has been won on safety concerns," said University of Pennsylvania bioethicist Arthur Caplan. A recent study published in the journal Science indicated that over 80% of cloned cattle survived to adulthood, showing normal blood chemistry and other genetic markers.

      Opponents of cloning often raise the immorality of playing God. They consistently support the death penalty, while vehemently objecting to reproductive techniques like cloning. Neither warrants strenuous objections in a society ruled largely by consensus and majority rule. Europe's ban on capital punishment doesn't mean that America's barbaric or living in the Stone Age. What's the difference between ending human life by lethal injection or beginning life by cloning new cells? Both attempt to improve society by purging dangerous criminals or curing dreaded diseases. "Our dream is that someday we could take a patient's cell, skin cell, and give them back anything they needed to cure disease," West said Sunday on NBC's "Meet The Press," stressing that his company is interested in growing stem cells not cloning humans. To right-to-lifers, embryos are already human beings endowed with the same inalienable rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, guaranteed by the Constitution.

      Jumping into the fray last summer, President Bush approved federal funding for existing stem cell lines, preventing researchers from either cloning new cells or acquiring tissue from aborted embryos. Today's cloning debate hinges on whether scientists have the right to create—via cloning—new stem cell lines for medical research. Complaining about Bush's half-measure, "I think it's most unfortunate," said Caltech president David Baltimore. "What he's [Bush's] done is exactly what I was worried about—which is to assume that the existing lines have all the power that we need." Advanced Cell Technology leaped ahead of the curve, using cloning new stem cells to redeem the promises of modern science. While mass hysteria threatens to ban all human cloning, the Food and Drug Administration already commissioned a study to determine whether cloned and genetically altered animals could safely produce food and pharmaceuticals. Though the House banned human cloning last summer, the Senate has yet to weigh in.

      Upon learning about Advanced Cell Technology's surprising report, opponents like Sen. Sam Brownback (R-Kan.) urged Congress to pass an immediate 6-month moratorium on human cloning. Even liberal Sen. Majority Leader Tom Daschle (D-S.D.) was caught off guard, referring to the news as "disconcerting." "I think it's going in the wrong direction," said Daschle, an apparent reversal from his support of "cloning for research purposes." That's precisely what Advanced Cell Technology reported: Cloning human tissue for medical research. "Our intention is not to create cloned human beings," said senior ACT researcher Robert Lanza, emphasizing his company's intent of manufacturing stem cells for research purposes. But to religious conservatives—and obviously others—embryos are already human beings, entitled to the same moral and constitutional rights as newborns or adults. When President Bush approved federal funding for only existing stem cell lines, he opposed harvesting stem cells from aborted fetuses or human cloning.

      Thank God for human cloning and courageous biotech firms willing to go out on a limb in the name of science. While politicians and religious conservatives have a right to their opinions, they don't have a right to throw roadblocks into medical progress. Cloning human stem cells opens doors to medical breakthroughs, not, as some would have you believe, to violate God's laws. Banning human cloning—for medical research or reproduction—punishes innocent people afflicted with dreaded diseases, and also slaps physicians unable to offer patients legitimate cures. Despite the risks, outlawing cloning turns back the clock on medical research, failing to explore new avenues for treating disabling diseases. Criminalizing human cloning sends the wrong message to the scientific community. Medical entrepreneurs must risk and invest capital into research and development. Banning human cloning would lead to cynical evasions of the law, and push cutting-edge technology over to foreign competitors. No matter what the obstacles, you can't stop scientists from breaking new ground.

About the Author

John M. Curtis is editor of OnlineColumnist.com and columnist for the Los Angeles Daily Journal. He's director of a Los Angeles think tank specializing in political consulting and strategic public relations. He's author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.

©1999-2001 Discobolos Consulting Services, Inc.
(310) 204-8300
All Rights Reserved.