In a move that some will find highly offensive, Australia’s Senate approved the cloning of human embryos to further stem cell research. The cloning bill was narrowly approved by the Australian Senate by a count of 34-32, and it would relax and even reverse some existing rules on stem cell research.
In addition, the bill would allow therapeutic cloning of embryos for medical research. Although Australia’s House of Representatives needs to pass the bill as well, the larger hurdle was considered to be the Senate, and it has not passed there.
What do you think of this decision? Although the U.S. has federally banned stem cell research that involves human embryo harvesting, now a close ally in Australia has lifted its rule on that very subject — one that has divided the U.S. sharply. Comments welcome on this rather touchy subject.
Author by Brian White
