Cloning lobbying continues in US

A group of executives from biotechnology companies met with US Senators last week to urge them to support legislation allowing therapeutic cloning whilst banning the reproductive cloning of humans. The lobby group focussed its attention on the 20 or so Senators who, it is said, have not yet decided how to vote.

The biotechnology coalition, supported by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and other prominent groups, was opposing a bill that would ban all forms of human cloning and would impose fines and prison sentences on anyone cloning human cells, for any purpose, within the US. They are concerned that cloning research would be driven underground or that US scientists would leave to work in other countries, such as the UK, where cloning research for medical reasons is permitted.

The US debate has also been aired on television and radio advertisements in some states. The National Right to Life Committee has targeted Senators in some states whose seats may be 'vulnerable' in elections later this year, encouraging electors to vote against Senators who support human cloning in any form.

Meanwhile, supporters of therapeutic cloning have revived an advertisement used to challenge Clinton's health care proposals in the early 1990's. The same characters are used as in the original advertisements, but now they discuss the potential of therapeutic cloning. The advertisement is sponsored by a group funded by a number of Hollywood executives who have or know children with juvenile diabetes, one condition that research into therapeutic cloning might help. Also, in a letter to President Bush, former US President Gerald Ford highlighted the 'enormous potential' of cloning research, and his own 'strong opposition' to a ban of all forms of cloning. The Senate is expected to vote on the two proposed bills in May.