SCI/TECH: Britain Gives "Dolly" Scientist Human Cloning License

Britain has issued the country's second human cloning license to the creator of Dolly the sheep on Tuesday. Dolly is famously known as the first successfully adult-cell cloned animal. Ian Wilmut will be working on human nerve cells to understand the potential reasons behind motor neuron disease. Britain was the first country to legalize research-driven human cloning in 2001.



I believe human cloning has already been researched far more than the public is currently aware. It would be irresponsible of those with the money and know-how to sit there and do nothing when many genetic diseases and other afflictions due to aging are just a classification away from being just another human triumph. Not that I believe that the proverbial fountain of youth is at hand, either. But for some, a better quality of life.

Of course with the recent California initiative , it is a matter of desensitizing the masses before America begins to "publicly" pursue this further, IMO.

[edit on 8-2-2005 by Banshee]

I think he has already been working for the US government. Just look at all the "sheeple" in that country.
JK

I heard some moron from a "Catholic Doctors" group on the radio this afternoon. He was arguing that politicians should feel free to voice their religious convictions right along with their secular ones...the upshot being that any christian politician worthy of the name should be trying to prevent further research of this type.

What drivel.

I suppose next we'll have people from the loony christian right arguing that "embryos are people too".

i just don't know that science has the "ethics" to govern itself when it comes to cloning humans...........

this is SUCH a gray area...............the laws haven't been able to keep up with the technology of science.......and i just don't feel that the ethics and protocol are in place when it comes to the science of human cloning.


angie

Originally posted by amb1063


this is SUCH a gray area...............the laws haven't been able to keep up with the technology of science.......and i just don't feel that the ethics and protocol are in place when it comes to the science of human cloning.

To offer another side, what about the ethics of not doing something to help someone when the possibility exists?

I completely support all further research on human cloning and stemcell research as it give us the best chance of curing serious illnesses such as motor neuron disease and is the best chance for solving the chronic shortage of human organ transplantation. For instance in the UK there are over 6000 awaiting transplants and over the next year fewer than 2000 will be carried out. A significant number will die before a suitable organ becomes available. additional advantages of cloning a new organ using the recipitants own dna is that the problems of rejection are elminated. Currently rejection is the number one reason for failure of transplants and the drugs using to suppress the immune system leave the patient at high risk of infections and diseases and they are very toxic so it is very common for heart transplantees to face renal failure in the future.

Originally posted by MemoryShock

Originally posted by amb1063


this is SUCH a gray area...............the laws haven't been able to keep up with the technology of science.......and i just don't feel that the ethics and protocol are in place when it comes to the science of human cloning.

To offer another side, what about the ethics of not doing something to help someone when the possibility exists?

true very true.....................i was thinking more along the lines of unscrupulous scientists that would do things OUTSIDE of trying to help people..............build the perfect human so to speak..........not ones that would be curing cancer,diabetes,alzheimers,parkinsons,aids,birth defects.....etc etc..........

Ahhh yes, that is a different story all together. The thing is , IMO, they have already started. Think about it. Medical Science is big science and as in the entertainment industry, they're searching for the next big thing........

Ever hear the expression, " It's easier to ask forgiveness than it is to ask for permission?" New technology is always going to cause some kind of anxiety or rift amongst the population. Introducing the new info is treated gingerly. Think it might be a coincedence that the name of the first publicly announced organism was "Dolly, " or that it was a sheep.......very fuzzy imagery.........granted, I have no proof that they are already beyond what they say they are capable of. But all logic arguements suggest it strongly.