Focus on the Family Responds to Claims of First Human Clone; Announcement Reminds of Dangers of Cloning, Need for a Full Ban

12/30/2002

From: David Gasak of Focus on the Family, 719-548-4570

COLORADO SPRINGS, Dec. 30 -- Reports continue to circulate that Clonaid, an organization founded by a religious cult, claims to have produced the world's first live human clone, born as a baby. Clonaid asserts that this baby was produced using DNA from her mother, and that she will arrive today in "her home country." While Focus on the Family remains highly skeptical of Clonaid's claims, Dr. James C. Dobson, president of Focus on the Family, expressed grave concern over the reports.

"Whether or not a human child has been cloned, we must face the reality that scientists in the United States and around the world have pushed us to the edge of a moral and ethical precipice by trying to create life by artificial means," Dobson said.

Walt Larimore, M.D., vice president of medical outreach for Focus on the Family, added that cloning carries inherent dangers for the health of human subjects.

"Cloning is an unsafe process that sacrifices human life for scientific gain. It violates basic human research ethics and the first principle of medicine -- 'Do no harm,' " Larimore said. "If a young cloned child has, indeed, been delivered, we affirm her life and her value as a human being. Yet I wonder how many embryos had to die just to produce her. A few years ago, the cloning of Dolly the sheep required 277 sheep embryos before the process was successful. Just think how many human embryos might have been sacrificed to produce little 'Eve.' "

Larimore added that much of the push for cloning comes from supporters of stem cell research, who want to clone human embryos in order to harvest their stem cells -- a process which invariably kills the tiny humans.

"We hope the Clonaid announcement, true or false, will stimulate all who value human life to support a comprehensive ban on cloning and assert afresh the dignity of human nature from conception," he said.

Dobson punctuated Larimore's call for action.

"Why have so few countries acted to ban this horrific practice?" Dobson said. "Here in the United States, the House of Representatives bravely passed a complete ban on human cloning and President Bush said he would sign it. Yet, then Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle prevented that from happening by never letting the Senate take a vote on the bill. Who knows what ghastly human cloning research took place in this country while Mr. Daschle was sitting on his hands?

"In January, Congress will have another chance to pass the Weldon-Brownback human cloning ban. Thankfully, Mr. Daschle will not control the destiny of this vital legislation. For the sake of humanity, I hope incoming Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist will make it a top priority to pass this bill. Future generations depend on what we do with this issue now."