Scientists and Physicians for Cures without Cloning
We, the undersigned scientists, physicians, researchers, and health care professionals do hereby declare that we enthusiastically support stem cell research utilizing stem cells from non-controversial sources (bone marrow, amniotic fluid, umbilical cord blood, placenta, etc.), which are proving to be highly successful in human research and therapies. Numerous peer-reviewed scientific studies continue to reveal several sources of pluripotent non-embryonic stem cells. Use of these cells poses no ethical problem and has even been shown to be superior to embryonic stem cells for a variety of reasons.
We are opposed to the creation of human embryos through cloning by somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT). We are opposed to the destruction of human life, including embryos, for the purpose of experimentation. We believe that life saving cures, scientific advances, and relief of human pain and suffering can be achieved without practices that destroy the lives of human beings.
Human cloning is the asexual production of a new living human organism that is, at all stages of development, genetically virtually identical to an existing or previously existing human being. It is done through SCNT, which introduces the nuclear material of a human somatic cell into an oocyte (egg) whose own nucleus has been removed or inactivated, to create this new organism. It is designed to produce (and if successful, does produce) a new living organism of the human species, that is, a human embryo. Thus, all human cloning is reproductive for the reason that it produces an embryo, whether it is done for the purpose of experimentation or implantation to be brought to live birth. “Human cloning” does not include the cloning of DNA, molecules, tissues, organs, or cells other than human embryos.
We therefore reject as deceptive and unscientific attempts to manipulate language to claim that there are different procedural types of SCNT cloning, or that the SCNT process is not cloning and does not result, if successful, in the production of a cloned human embryo.
