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The source of this article is Straits Times: http://tinyurl.com/6sa8g AUG 31, 2004 Britain seeking support to stop stem cell ban Royal Society is pushing United Nations to ban cloning of babies, but not to stop therapeutic cloning LONDON - Britain's leading scientific institution said yesterday it is calling for support from other countries to stop a possible ban on stem cell research as part of a global treaty to ban human cloning. The London-based Royal Society is stepping up its drive to push the United Nations to ban the cloning of babies, but to make no ruling on using the technology for medical research or therapeutic cloning. The UN could introduce a ban at its 59th General Session in October. The Royal Society is among 68 academies which are urging it to ban reproductive but not therapeutic use of the technology. UN member states would not be compelled to sign up, but scientists fear such a treaty could stifle stem cell research, BBC news online reported. The 191-nation UN General Assembly is divided over whether to let therapeutic cloning continue or to adopt a broad cloning ban championed by the administration of US President W. George Bush and Costa Rica. Last year, the assembly put treaty negotiations on hold for a year, despite powerful lobbying by the US, after 66 scientific academies expressed support for therapeutic cloning. Cloning research relies on embryo cells, or stem cells, because they can grow into all types of cells and tissues in the body. Supporters of a broad cloning ban have argued that therapeutic cloning, in which cells from human embryos are used in medical research, involves taking human lives. But the Royal Society said a treaty that bans all forms of human cloning would place a major obstacle in the way of stem cell research, which could provide new treatments for diseases such as diabetes, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. 'It is clear that if the convention bans all forms of human cloning, the UK, and other countries which currently permit carefully regulated therapeutic cloning, will not sign up to it,' said Professor Richard Gardner of the Royal Society. 'For countries that have not yet brought in a ban, a UN convention which draws a clear distinction between reproductive cloning and therapeutic cloning will provide invaluable guidance in passing effective legislation.' He noted that the US had not yet banned reproductive cloning because it was trying to include therapeutic cloning in the ban. \-- Reuters -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright @ 2004 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn