[Coach]

ATLian,
>Can the scientists can actually create embryos, as compared to
>scientists using aborted embryos/foetuses? If they can, what's
>wrong with that? It will just be some gunk in a test-tube,
>it's not like it's a person.
>I think the main reason religious pals are against stem cell
>research is because they see it as man playing god. That's the
>same reason why they are against cloning.

The main resistance usually comes afrom the ethical committees which comprise of scientists. Those who are against it simply by saying 'man is playing God' do it out of ignorance. Why aren't they against heart-transplants or other procedures that 'interfere' with the way humans were created?

I attended an ethical committee discussion on cloning about ten years ago and the discussion is at the same level it was then. We know very little of the effects human cloning will have and the risk is too high to take. Also, there is no reason to clone a human being and most of the research in cloning is leaning towards 'therapeutic cloning'. This can be done to help couples who can't procreate or just like the recent research done to diabetes patients whose cells are taken and re-implanted on the 'Island of Langerhans' on the pancreas.

Therapeutic cloning will probably be very beneficial to mankind but the type ofcloning that sw Dolly come to the world is of no immediate benefit to humanity. Besides, it took almost 300 attempts to bring forth Dolly. The risks with cloning a human is not known and is an area researchers have no use in wasting funds on..it is better they try to fix the problems and illnesses humans face today rather than try to create new problems.


satjas,
Rant on mate!