Updates

Cloning
1) Much earlier this month the ‘10th Anniversary’ of Dolly the sheep was noted in ‘BioNews’ the newsletter of the Progress Educational Trust. Roger Highfield, the co-author of Highfield and Wilmut ‘s (2006) After Dolly: The Uses and Misuses of Human Cloning, noted that he and Professor Ian Wilmut have faith about the future of cloning, and have confidence in particular groups in the governance of that future:

‘We have faith in people too. We have confidence that a well-informed democracy can keep abuses in check; we have confidence in women who would not donate eggs to clone a dictator, but would to help a patient with an urgent clinical need; and above all else we have faith in the vast majority of scientists, who are no different from anyone else in wanting to reduce suffering and make the world a better place’ (Highfield in BioNews 366:10/7/06)

The Centre for Genetics and Society (USA) reported on ‘A Decade After Dolly’ rather differently - and amongst other things - highlighted the reporting of some of the complexity, and confusion around financial incentives for female students, and egg donation in the Boston area.

Embryo Screening
2) Last month, announcements of advances in embryo screening techniques were made by UK researchers, and were reported in terms of both hope, and of concern:

‘Embryo test offers hope to parents’ (The Guardian UK, 19 June 2006)


‘New Embryonic Test Raises Concerns: Technique To Detect Genetic Disorders Spurs Fears Of 'Designer Babies'