In February 1997 a baby lamb was born at the Roslin Institute, just outside Edinburgh. But this was a very special lamb, in fact, one of a kind. Young Dolly managed to attract more press attention than any other she

On July 31st 2001, the US House of Representatives voted for a broad ban on human cloning that would not only prevent the use of cloning for reproduction but would also prohibit cloning for research purposes. The Bush administration supports a total cloning ban, and last August President George Bush barred the use of federal funds for research involving stem cells derived from embryos, including those generated using cloning. The matter of human cloning is also being taken up once again in this country. Two years ago Westminster altered its Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act of 1990 to specifically allow human therapeutic cloning. But last November anti-abortion activists managed to have the provision struck down on the grounds that “cloning does not involve an embryo created by the union of an egg and a sperm and therefore cannot be included under the act”. The groundwork for genetically engineered humans has already been conducted, and while the scientists behind the research may have had the most admirable intentions, others may not be so ethically inclined. There are groups such as the Raëlians, a religious cult, or renegade scientists such as Richard G. Seed. Dr Seed is a physicist based in Riverside, Illinois, who has been heavily involved in conducting his own embryology research. These people have announced their intent to clone human beings and will, without a doubt, try to do so whether therapeutic cloning research is banned or not.

However, even the scientists conducting the research have their reservations about what theses discoveries may yield in the future. Advanced Cell Technology researcher Dr Michael West said, “We believe that reproductive cloning has potential

Some topics in this essay:
Roslin Institute, Cell Technology, Michael West, , Riverside Illinois, Embryology Act, George Bush, House Representatives, therapeutic cloning, human cloning, Dr Seed, genetically engineered, genetic engineering, cloning research, donor cell, advanced cell technology, cell technology, human embryos, advanced cell, reproductive cloning, Advanced Cell,