Human Cloning

During December 2005, there was an investigation that wasconducted at the Seoul National University (SNA), South Koreahad observed that the scientist named Hwang Woo Suk wasresponsible for fabricating the results on the deriving of thepatient-matched stem cells out of the cloned embryos. This wasthe major setback in this field. During May 2005, Hwangmade an announcement that a major advance in the creationof the human embryos in using the various cloning methods aswell as in the isolation of human stem cells out of the clonedembryos.
The series of developments and the advancementshave contributed significantly to the existing debate during the109th Congress upon the ethical and moral implications ofcloning of the human beings. The medical scientists in variousother labs, like the University of California at San Francisco andthe Harvard University intended to produce the cloned embryosof human beings such as for deriving the stem cells for severalmedical researches on Parkinson's disease, diabetes and severalother diseases and illness.
President Bush had made an announcement during August2001 that it was the first time that the federal funds will beused for supporting the research on the human embryonicstem cells. However, funding could be limited or restricted tothe existing human stem cell lines. The federal funds would notbe utilized for the human embryonic cloning for any kind ofpurpose including the research of the stem cell.
During July2002, the Council on Bioethics of the President had unveiled itsreport upon human cloning and its research that hadsuggested a ban on reproductive ways of cloning and a 4 yearmoratorium on human cloning for the purpose of medicalresearch. The ethical problems or issues that were surroundingthe reproductive cloning process including relief of suffering ormoral status of the embryos had impacted several proposals forbans, regulation, restrictions, and various uses of funding.
During January 2002, National Academies had released the"Scientific and Medical Aspects of Human ReproductiveCloning". This proposal had suggested that the ban by theUnited States on the human cloning was aimed at the creationof a child. This also suggested that the ban should be enforcedand would carry substantial penalties. The panel had noted theban should be restated within a span of 5 years. However, panel had decided that cloning for the production of stem cellsshould be made permissible due to the presence of greatpotential for the development of several therapies and theadvancement of the biomedical knowledge.