Pope Calls On South Korea To Reject Embryonic Stem Cell Research, Human Cloning

Main Category: Stem Cell Research
Also Included In: Women's Health / Gynecology
Article Date: 16 Oct 2007 - 8:00 PDT

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Pope Benedict XVI on Thursday called on South Korea to halt human embryonic stem cell research and human cloning in light of a recent government announcement allowing scientists to conduct research on creating stem cells by cloning human embryos, the AP/Google.com reports (Winfield, AP/Google.com, 10/11). South Korea banned embryonic stem cell research last year after Hwang Woo Suk and colleagues from Seoul National University published fraudulent claims that they had created genetically matched embryonic stem cell lines.

Hwang and his team in 2005 published two scientific papers in the journal Science that said they had used the somatic cell nuclear transfer cloning technique to create 11 embryonic stem cell lines that are genetic matches to patients ranging in age from two to 56. Both studies were found to be fabrications, and Science formally retracted the papers in January 2006. The South Korean Ministry of Health and Welfare last month said that scientists now will be permitted to conduct research using eggs discarded after fertility treatments or other lawful uses. In addition, scientists seeking to conduct stem cell research will be required to obtain a license from the government (Kaiser Daily Women's Health Policy Report, 9/28).

The pope noted South Korea's "notable success in scientific research and development" but said such research must be carried out with "firm ethical standards" that respect human life (AP/Google.com, 10/11). "The destruction of human embryos, whether to acquire stem cells or for any other purpose, contradicts the purported intent of researchers, legislators and public health officials to promote human welfare," the pope said. He added that some types of stem cell research -- including research using amniotic fluid and adult stem cells -- "harmonize with the aforementioned intent (to promote human welfare) by respecting the life of the human being at every stage of his or her existence" (Reuters, 10/11).

Reprinted with kind permission from http://www.kaisernetwork.org. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at http://www.kaisernetwork.org/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork.org, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation© 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.

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