Ban on State-Funded Human Cloning Gains
By Howard Fischer
CAPITOL MEDIA SERVICES
PHOENIX - Members of the Senate Appropriations Committee voted Tuesday to ban any type of human-cloning research done with state money, or even at state universities.Arizona [could be] in line with five other states that ban both reproductive cloning - producing a new life to create a baby - as well as therapeutic cloning in which human cells are manipulated solely for research purposes. That possibility bothered Sen. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Tucson. “There’s a lot of science out there and a lot of chances, particularly when we’re looking at tens of millions of Americans that are going to be suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, that stem cell research is a chance for us to minimize the effects of this devastating disease,” she said. Giffords also pointed out that California voters not only approved stem cell research but actually put $3 billion into these efforts. She said this is “going to put Arizona in the slow lane when we can be moving forward with our science.”
The action came after a plea from Rep. Bob Stump, R-Peoria, who said the ban is needed to keep the state from giving its official approval to morally and scientifically questionable practices.
“If we devote state funds to this endeavor, I believe we are saying the state of Arizona will be party to a procedure which is very troubling ethically and genetically,” Stump told lawmakers. “If the state of Arizona were to fund human cloning it would be an unprecedented step. We would be authorizing for the first time the government to fund the creation and destruction of human life.”
Stump said his bill, which already has been approved by the House of Representatives, does not ban privately financed research as long as it does not occur at state universities.
But that could become a reality: The Senate Committee on Government Accountability and Reform is set to vote today on a measure that would ban all forms of cloning in Arizona, no matter who provides the money. And the proposal would become part of the state constitution - assuming it is approved next year by voters.
That would put Arizona in line with five other states that ban both reproductive cloning - producing a new life to create a baby - as well as therapeutic cloning in which human cells are manipulated solely for research purposes. Several other states ban only reproductive cloning.
The measure approved Tuesday - as well as the one up for consideration today - would not affect research on stem cells unless they were created from cloning.
That possibility bothered Sen. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Tucson.
“There’s a lot of science out there and a lot of chances, particularly when we’re looking at tens of millions of Americans that are going to be suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, that stem cell research is a chance for us to minimize the effects of this devastating disease,” she said.
Giffords also pointed out that California voters not only approved stem cell research but actually put $3 billion into these efforts. She said this is “going to put Arizona in the slow lane when we can be moving forward with our science.”
But Sen. Dean Martin, R-Phoenix, said the California vote only proves that disease research will continue to occur - even without any help from Arizona taxpayers.
“There’s so many other things we could be spending our money on,” Martin said. He said private companies will step up to the plate, with cash, if this kind of research actually shows some possibility of success.
House Bill 2221, which now goes to the full Senate, would ban not only state-financed reproductive cloning but also therapeutic cloning. Stump said such a broad ban is necessary.
“If the state sanctions the production of human embryos for therapeutic purposes it is inevitable that at least one or two of them will end up in uteruses and create cloned human children, with all the horrors that that entails,” he said.
Stump said it took more than 200 unsuccessful tries before scientists were able to create Dolly, the first cloned sheep.
“Are we really willing to accept that sort of failure rate on human embryos?” he asked.
Sen. John Huppenthal, R-Chandler, said he feared the creation of “nightmares” who would be incomplete humans. But he said there are other ethical issues even if science could guarantee a healthy child.
The University of Arizona has not taken a position on the bill despite its medical school and research that occurs there.
“We don’t do human cloning research,” said university lobbyist Greg Fahey. “We don’t think this is a problem for us.”
Arizona Daily Star
