cloning

Enforcer Talen · Post by **Enforcer Talen** » 2003-06-17 06:44pm

AMA Endorses Cloning for Research

Dr. Michael Goldrich comments on the American Medical Association endorsment of the cloning of embryos for research purposes at the American Medical Association annual meeting in Chicago Tuesday, June 17, 2003. Goldrich, incoming chairman of the committee that drafted the cloning report adopted by delegates, said ``It makes a stance for science,'' The resolution said cloning for research purposes is medically ethical but it would allow doctors who oppose the practice to refuse to perform it. (AP Photo/Aynsley Floyd)

June 17, 2003 03:18 PM EDT

CHICAGO - The American Medical Association on Tuesday endorsed cloning for research purposes, saying it is medically ethical but allowing doctors who oppose the practice to refuse to perform it.

Policymaking delegates adopted the measure without debate after discussing the issue Sunday.

"It makes a stance for science," said Dr. Michael Goldrich, incoming chairman of the committee that drafted the cloning report.

The proposal focused on a laboratory procedure designed to create embryos to cultivate their stem cells, which are master cells that can potentially grow into any type of human tissue. Scientists believe such cells could potentially be used to treat a wide range of human diseases.

Such early embryos would be discarded when they consist of only a few cells, but they could theoretically develop into a human if implanted into a woman's uterus.

The AMA's Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs submitted the proposal with hopes that it would become official AMA policy.

The proposal received wide support from doctors and medical groups including the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. But some adamantly opposed it with arguments reminiscent of the nationwide abortion debate.

Calling embryo cloning for research purposes medically ethical is "totally inappropriate ... when a number of us believe that human beings start with two cells," said Dr. John McMahon of Helena, Mont.

The proposal echoed recommendations from a National Academy of Sciences panel last year, which advocated a government ban on cloning to produce humans but said cloning for research should be allowed.

The U.S. House earlier this year passed a Bush administration-backed measure that would ban both types of cloning. The measure hasn't been acted on in the Senate.

In other action Tuesday, the AMA agreed to investigate the ethics of letting drug company sales representatives sit in on patients' visits with their doctors.

Drug companies sometimes pay doctors up to $500 a day to allow their reps to observe patient visits - a practice they maintain is educational but which opponents say violates patients' privacy.

The AMA opposed the practice unless the patient has clearly consented without coercion and asked for guidelines to make sure patients are not coerced.

Enforcer Talen · Post by **Enforcer Talen** » 2003-06-17 06:49pm

rr say, this be the devils work!

"I just saw this on Fox News and am terribly afraid that this is just the beginning of the "cloning" experiment. Once the door is opened to using cells that are in tubes, how much longer before we veer away from that and decide that we really need to transplant these cells into women?

It seems sometimes that we, as humans, can't wait to get into God's business -- first by killing babies in the womb, and now by reproducing cells and using them as "guinea pigs" all in the name of helping humanity.

May God look down with mercy upon those who cannot see - the darkness they walk in seems to be contagious -- so many choose it rather than the light!
"

"Another boundary of human decency comes crashing down. Did Post #3 of 3

you notice how vague the wording is? I see no limits whatsoever to this. Down the road, they will be producing clones for body parts for transplants.

Between this, abortion, and the effort to make pedophilia "normalized", I think this society is beyond sick and is in the same class as Sodom and Gommorah!!

Honestly, do you think there are any boundaries left??? Besides the politically correct ones.

Such defiance of God!!!"

these people annoy me. do they think disease will go away on its own?

UltraViolence83 · Post by **UltraViolence83** » 2003-06-17 07:00pm

Enforcer Talen wrote:these people annoy me. do they think disease will go away on its own?

Not like disease will ever go away anyway.

Enforcer Talen · Post by **Enforcer Talen** » 2003-06-17 07:03pm

we're working on it though.

UltraViolence83 · Post by **UltraViolence83** » 2003-06-17 07:04pm

Eliminate one disease, two more appear...

Joe · Post by **Joe** » 2003-06-17 07:05pm

I don't think the government should fund it, but I have no real problem with it in any case.

Enforcer Talen · Post by **Enforcer Talen** » 2003-06-17 07:07pm

UltraViolence83 wrote:Eliminate one disease, two more appear...

examples?

UltraViolence83 · Post by **UltraViolence83** » 2003-06-17 07:11pm

Goodbye smallpox, hello ebola and E. coli...

Just saying that although destroying diseases is a laudible goal, it's unrealistic.