Cloning

Nur20:

I agree we can learn a great deal from cloning... but....

Until we have appropriate legislation to protect this new frontier from the greedy, the ill intended, and an atmosphere of free enterprise; I am against human cloning.

Example: Streptokynase: used for decloting central and PICC lines (among other uses). It was derived from embryonic tissue. In Mexico (and elsewhere) woman were "harvesting embryos" for a fee. It has now been replaced with synthetically derived material and patented under TPA.

I heard on the news this morning President Bush intends to put a stop to this scientific breakthrough immediately. I do hope a task force can be orgainzed to evaluate this worthy research.

Just my opinion.

B.

What I don't understand is how this can be called "human" cloning. From what I don understand, they took and egg and DNA from a skin cell. What happened to the sperm in all of this. Was this "embryo" really the start of a human being? I was taught in sex ed that it takes and egg and a sperm to create a baby. Did something change in the biology of human reproduction and no one told me?

I think there is a difference between cloning to produce tissue and cloning to make a person. So creating embryos to kill them seems cold- the easiest way to do something is not always the "right" way. But I would have no problem with growing tissue using cloning technology.

I think that especially with the cloning issue we have gotten way ahead of ourselves with technology, and are not even close when we start thinking about the ethics and responsibilities of using the technology. Like a 12 year old ready to have sex, but not having a clue about the ramifictions. Unfortunately 12 year olds don't realize how little they know, and rarely stop to listen to anyone.

Hi.

Not only am I undecided, I'm STRONGLY undecided. Can you imagine the wonderful things possible? Completely un-rejected replacement organs. Unlimited blood supplies... The possibilities seem endless.

On the other hand, what about the product of these experiments? Could they have become human? Would we be "beginning" somebody, only to force it to become a liver or some stem cells? I know it's hard to think of a couple of cells as "somebody" but ... Oh I just don't know!!

In this case, from what I understand, the ovum was injected with some DNA and it divided I think eight (?) times before it died.

Love

Dennie