AAAS Urges United Nations to Endorse Cloning for Research Purposes

AAAS, the world's largest general science society, urged the United Nations to support embryonic cloning for research or "therapeutic" purposes, but ban all efforts to use cloning for human reproduction.

"AAAS, along with most of the world's mainstream scientists, endorses a legally enforceable ban on any efforts to clone a human being," said Alan I. Leshner, chief executive officer of AAAS and executive publisher of its journal, Science. "Our fear of reproductive cloning is understandable and appropriate. But, we must not allow those concerns to block medical advances that may someday be achieved through other kinds of research that involve cloned cells. AAAS urges the United Nations to support research cloning methods intended to alleviate human suffering caused by injuries and disease."

What is research cloning, and how is it different from reproductive cloning? Both involve a technique called nuclear transplantation-replacing the nucleus of a donor's egg with the DNA from an adult cell. Under certain conditions, the resulting entity will begin developing like a fertilized egg. In reproductive cloning, the entity is implanted into a uterus, where it has the potential to develop into a full organism; a clone of the donor of the adult cell. In research cloning, the entity is not implanted in a uterus. Instead, after several days, researchers harvest embryonic stem cells, which theoretically can develop into any type of cell and, according to many researchers, may someday be used to treat neurodegenerative diseases or other conditions.#

Founded in 1848, the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) has worked to advance science for human well-being through its projects, programs and publications in the areas of science policy, science education and international scientific cooperation.

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