Vatican Calls Cloning Of Human Embryos 'Worst Type' Of 'Exploitation' Of Humans

Main Category: Stem Cell Research
Also Included In: Women's Health / Gynecology
Article Date: 24 Jan 2008 - 5:00 PDT

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The Vatican on Friday responded to last week's report that U.S. researchers had cloned five human embryos by calling this type of cloning the "worst type of exploitation of the human being," Reuters Health reports.

Monsignor Elio Sgreccia, president of the Pontifical Academy for Life, said the cloning of human embryos "ranks among the most morally illicit acts, ethically speaking." Sgreccia called the research "a product of the past," because of advances in stem cell research that do not involve human embryos (Stewart, Reuters Health, 1/18). Similar research has "so far not been successful," according to Sgreccia (AFP/Google.com, 1/18).

He added that he could not understand why scientists want to use human embryos for research, considering the alternatives for stem cell research. "You can't know any more if this is all a game ... done solely out of the desire to experiment on men and women," Sgreccia said (Reuters Health, 1/18).

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