Cloning legislation news

Legislators in the House of Representatives of the US state of Delaware have postponed, for the second time, debate on a bill that would ban human reproductive cloning but allow cloning for research purposes. The delay came after several legislators said they needed more time to study the fine details of the bill, which had already passed through the state's Senate in June last year. It later stalled in the House after a pro-life campaign about the 'dangerous' provisions of the bill, which meant that it began to receive national attention.

Critics have said that the cloning bill is too vague. They argue that it has loopholes that would mean that a cloned human fetus could be developed for months in the womb before being aborted, and that cloned human embryos could be implanted into another mammal to be brought to term. A revised version of the bill bans the implantation of cloned human embryos. The bill defines human cloning as the creation of a 'fully developed human that is genetically identical or substantially genetically identical to a fully developed, living or previously living human using any cloning technique'. But it does not define 'fully developed human'. It also does not clearly define an embryo, merely stating that it is an organism 'in the early stages of growth and development'. The bill is not scheduled to be reconsidered again until after the General Assembly of the state reconvenes in March.

Meanwhile, the South Dakota Senate voted last week 33-1 in favour of a bill to ban all human cloning for any purpose. The state already prohibits experimentation on human embryos, so the principle focus of the cloning ban is on reproductive cloning. The bill (sponsored by Republican Senator Lee Schoenbeck), which would make cloning a felony punishable by up to two years in prison and a two thousand dollar fine, will now go to the state House of Representatives. 'There is universal recognition that reproductive cloning, the cloning of cells to create human life, is something that we shouldn't do or shouldn't tolerate', said Schoenbeck, adding 'this is a chance for South Dakota to take a strong stand that we will not permit cloning for humans'.

In Israel, the Health Ministry has presented a proposal for a human cloning bill to the members of the Knesset's (Israeli parliament) science committee. The bill would outlaw cloning for reproductive purposes, but would allow the cloning of human embryos in order to derive embryonic stem cells for use in medical research. Israel already has a law that bans reproductive cloning, and permits cloning for medical and research purposes, but this is due to expire next month. However, in a recent vote about a potential UN treaty banning cloning, Israel decided to support the position of the United States, which is leading the call for an international cloning ban, in contradiction of Israeli law. But in the proposed new bill, which has been introduced to replace the law that is about to expire, the Health Ministry reiterates its position that there should be a ban on human cloning for reproductive, but not for research purposes. Melli Polishuk-Bloch, chair of the Knesset's science committee, said the 'American approach is extreme and hypocritical'. 'It is ridiculous for Israel to support such a position', he added. He called on Israel to support the 'European position', which opposes cloning of humans, but supports cloning for research purposes.