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Submission to UK House of Lords Select Committee on Stem
Cells
The Institute of Science in Society is a not-for-profit
organisation promoting social responsibility and sustainable, ecological
approaches in science.
Our position on the related issues of stem cells research, human
cloning and germline modification is presented below.
1. We reject any form of reproductive human cloning or human germline
modification on grounds that they are,
- Contrary to universally held principles of human ethics
- Harmful to the social and moral fabric of civil society
- Misguided by the flawed science of genetic determinism
- Inflict unacceptable dangers on individuals and the human species
through flawed technologies.
2. We reject ‘therapeutic’ human cloning because it involves
the deliberate creation of human embryos for the sole purpose of providing
embryonic stem cells, the embryos being sacrificed in the process. This
deliberate creation and destruction of human life makes it even more
objectionable, in moral terms, than reproductive human cloning. It, too, is
misguided by flawed and incomplete scientific knowledge and inflicts
unacceptable dangers through flawed technologies.
3. We reject human embryonic stem cell research because embryonic stem
cells are already known to be associated with many problems including malignant
transformation. The recent disaster involving five Parkinson’s patients
receiving fetal cell transplants should serve as a grave warning of the dangers
inherent to the technology (The Guardian March 13, 2001). Furthermore,
adult stem cells are showing much greater promise in replacement therapy, and
there is thus no need at all for embryonic stem cells for therapeutic purposes.
4. We oppose patents associated with human cell lines and genes, and
call for publicly-funded research to focus on therapeutic methods that do not
involve patented procedures cell lines or genes.
Our detailed arguments are contained in the following articles
enclosed:
- The unnecessary evil of
‘therapeutic’ human cloning. By Mae-Wan Ho and Joe Cummins, ISIS
News 7/8, Feb. 2001
- Why clone at all? By Mae-Wan Ho
ISIS Report April. 2001
- Human embryo research not needed. By
Mae-Wan Ho, ISIS News 7/8, Feb. 2001
- First GM humans already created.
By Joe Cummins and Mae-Wan Ho, ISIS Report, 2 May 2001
Dr. Mae-Wan Ho
Director Institute of Science in Society
m.w.ho@i-sis.org.uk
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