George Pell has said: “The scientific justification for using embryos had diminished since the laws were passed in 2002” in his sumbission to the government inquiry into law covering cloning and the use of embryos for research and seeing if any recommendations need to be made. The inquiry is headed by former Federal Court Judge John Lockhart QC.
The CathNews reported that ‘Scientists are pushing for laws to be extended to allow somatic cell nuclear transfer or "therapeutic cloning", in which embryos are created specifically for their stem cells and then destroyed when they are a few days old.’
Stem cells, which can grow into different types of tissue, offer hope for treating a range of diseases from Parkinson's to diabetes.
Under the existing laws, scientists can use embryos left over from IVF treatment — which would be destroyed anyway — for research, including the creation of embryonic stem cell lines.
The National Health and Medical Research Council has granted licences allowing research on 1731 spare IVF embryos since the 2002 laws were passed.
Cardinal Pell will address the National Press Club in Canberra today calling for a ban on all research that involves destroying embryos or, at least, no extension to the laws where he said: “Access to spare IVF embryos for the past two years had not "led to a significant advance in knowledge".
All sides agree the current ban on reproductive cloning should stay. But scientists say "therapeutic cloning" would let them create personalised stem cell lines that are genetically compatible and would not be rejected by the immune system.