overwhelmingly approved the law; Bush: "We must promote science, but do so in a way that respects life"; The president has not yet announced his position on the issue of federal funding of embryonic stem cell research
by Nathan Gutman
The US Congress yesterday approved a law preventing genetic duplication of any kind, for the purpose of human reproduction or medical research. The law was approved by a majority of 265 supporters against 162 opponents, in a vote that crossed party lines.
Earlier, the House of Representatives rejected another proposal, which prohibits genetic duplication for the purpose of "producing" babies, but permits the cloning of embryos for the purposes of medical research. The White House expressed vigorous support for the absolute ban on genetic replication, and on the eve of the vote, President George Bush issued a call to members of the House of Representatives to support the law prohibiting replication.
Member of the House of Representatives Dave Weldon from Florida, who was behind the cloning ban law, said after the vote that the US is sending a clear message to the world that "there is a place we do not want to go, and that place is the artificial production of human embryos for research purposes."
The Prohibition of Replication Law is not only limited to defining human reproduction operations as illegal, but also prohibits the marketing in the US of drugs and treatments produced from embryos that have been replicated in a laboratory. Today, the United Kingdom allows the cloning of embryos for research purposes, but even if these studies bear fruit, it will not be possible to enjoy them in the USA.
Bush congratulates
President Bush welcomed the decision of the House of Representatives, and in a statement he issued said: "The decision of an overwhelming and bipartisan majority in the House of Representatives to ban genetic duplication is a strong ethical statement that I welcome. We must promote science, but we must do so in a way that respects life."
President Bush has not yet announced what his decision will be regarding federal funding of embryonic stem cell research. These are studies that use "surplus" embryos from in vitro fertilization. The Christian and conservative organizations are putting pressure on the American president to withhold federal funding for these studies on the grounds that they destroy lives. The basic claim of the opponents is that life is defined from the moment of conception. On the other hand, counter-pressure is exerted by research institutes and patient organizations to approve funding for research, because of the high chance of a medical breakthrough in these studies.
Commentators have estimated that it is possible that the sweeping decision against replication will allow Bush to make a decision in favor of funding research in embryonic stem cells, because politically he has already proven his insistence on "moral" issues in the fight over replication. Members of Congress have already announced that if the president decides against funding these studies, they will put pressure on Capitol Hill to change the decision. Although the majority of members supported the ban on genetic duplication, it is estimated that a majority may be in favor of funding embryonic stem cell research.
Bush is working to ban all types of genetic replication by law
By Natan Gutman, Haaretz's envoy to the USA
21/06/2001
Replication of fetal cells will be banned under the pressure of the religious organizations
President Bush decided to act for a complete ban on any genetic duplication, including embryo duplication for research purposes. In doing so, the president accepted the position of the religious organizations, and rejected the recommendations of the medical research organizations. The US Deputy Secretary of Health informed Congress of the President's decision, and said that the administration intends to support the most stringent bill in this regard, which defines duplication of any kind as a federal offense.
Medical research organizations, including the National Health Institute, argued that the law should not prohibit the replication of fetal cells. According to them, the research in fetal stem cells may lead to finding a solution for many diseases, including diabetes and spinal injuries. Today, the law in the USA permits the cloning of embryos for research purposes, provided that after the cloning the cells are not implanted in a human womb and do not develop into a human being at all.
The administration has not yet formulated a position regarding the provision of federal aid for research into embryonic stem cells, produced from eggs fertilized under laboratory conditions. Also in this matter there is a dispute between the Christian organizations and the medical research organizations.
^^"Hidan" adds:^^
What may happen is that such experiments will be conducted in countries less strict than the US, which may find itself lagging behind in the scientific field. But the born-again Christian Bush doesn't seem to care at all.
https://www.hayadan.org.il/BuildaGate4/general2/data_card.php?Cat=~~~300304840~~~111&SiteName=hayadan
