New anti-cloning bill introduced

New legislation that is designed to prohibit human reproductive cloning without hindering less controversial biomedical research was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives on June 14. The Cloning Prohibition Act of 2001 (H.R. 2172) seeks to make it a federal crime for any person to "use or attempt to use human somatic cell nuclear transfer technology with the intent to initiate a pregnancy or to ship or transport the cellular product resulting from human somatic cell nuclear transfer technology knowing that the product is intended to be used to initiate a pregnancy." The bill, sponsored by Rep. James Greenwood (R-Penn.) and co-sponsored by eight representatives from both parties, does not apply to the use of somatic cell nuclear transfer technology to clone molecules, DNA, cells, or tissues. Nor does it apply to mitochondrial, cytoplasmic, or gene therapy, or in vitro fertilization techniques. It also does not prohibit cloning animals.

In order to improve the FDA's ability to monitor and regulate cloning research, H.R. 2172 requires that all researchers who intend to perform human somatic cell nuclear transfer must register with the Secretary of Health and Human Services. The bill also instructs the government to request that the Institute of Medicine conduct a study to "review the current state of knowledge about the biological properties of stem cells obtained from embryos, fetal tissues, and adult tissues" and "evaluate the current state of knowledge about biological differences among stem cells obtained from embryos, fetal tissues, and adult tissues and the consequences for research and medicine." ...