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The semantics of embryo research and human cloning

By Brian Harradine - posted Thursday, 16 June 2005


Donors who are related to people with conditions they hope will benefit from embryonic stem cell research are also vulnerable to influence. The language of cures used in reports of this research and the misleading term “therapeutic cloning” might suggest these cloned human embryos are to be used for cures. In reality these embryos have been cloned for research, as no cures are available.

Commenting on the Korean research, bioethicists from Stanford University warned, “Women who undergo ovarian stimulation to procure oocytes experience severe ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome, which can cause pain, and occasionally leads to hospitalisation, renal failure, potential future infertility, and even death”.

They also questioned whether it is ethical to ask women to donate their eggs for no personal health gain. Normally it would be an obligation of doctors to advise against a risky operation for no benefit.

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The pro-cloning research industry has a big incentive to convince people that it is not really mucking around with human embryos. The general public isn’t comfortable with that. So the next step is to say that the result isn’t really a human embryo.

Embryonic stem cell research is a multi-million dollar business. The Federal Government alone has committed over $100 million dollars to the Australian Stem Cell Centre. If scientists can convince the public they’re going to do research that doesn’t really involve human embryos, they can avoid ethical controversy and potentially access even more money.

Later this year an Australian committee will be appointed to review Australia’s ban on human cloning. It will have to carefully chart its way through attempts to muddy the waters and the pressure of big biotech business, so that the Australian public can be fully informed.

This month I retire after 30 years in the Senate. Twenty years ago I introduced a private members Bill into Parliament to prohibit experimentation on IVF embryos and to prohibit the creation of human embryos for experimentation. One of my greatest regrets is the Bill wasn’t given time for debate.

Dehumanising experiments on human embryos cheapen the value of life and mean other marginalised groups are at greater threat of their human rights being abused.

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An edited version of this article was published in The Canberra Times on May 26, 2005.



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Senator Brian Harradine was an independent Senator for Tasmania.

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