Cloning and Stem Cell Research

The use of stem cells for the treatment and cure of human disease has become a controversial issue over the past few years.

At the outset, it is important to distinguish between the use of ADULT STEM CELLS and EMBRYONIC stem cells.

Adult stem cells, taken from the tissue of an adult - such as knee, blood, mucus, skin or the placenta and umbilical cord blood following the birth of a baby - are quite ethical and already offer promising results.

However, embryonic stem cells are taken from a live embryo when it is about 5 days old. In removing the stem cells, the embryo is killed. Since life begins at conception, this process kills a living baby and is thus unethical for Christians.

The embryos are sometimes obtained from IVF processes, perhaps from embryos unwanted by a couple who have undergone IVF to have a baby.
This was the basis of the Australian Parliament's decision in 2002, to allow the use of 'surplus' embryos, left over from IVF processes, to obtain embryonic stem cells. See tab at left to explain this Bill and vote in the federal Parliament.

In 2006, the issue again came before the Australian parliament - this time the proposal was to allow the CREATION of embryos - by a variety of methods - specifically for the purpose of destroying them to obtain stem cells.
More details - see tab at left.

Success of adult stem cells
The website Do No Harm provides up to date information on successful research using ADULT Stem cells.

There are more than 70 treatments and cures using ADULT stem cells - there are NONE using embryonic stem cells.

New research: 2008 - 2009
In November 2008, it was reported that Shinya Yamanaka at Kyoto University and James Thompson at the University of Wisconsin had used adult cells to produce stem cells that acted in a similar way to embryonic stem cells, which are reportedly 'plutipotent' or have the ability to turn into any cell in the body.

This research was confirmed by scientists at UCLA in early 2009 - they took human skin cells and turned them into stem cells which act like embryonic stem cells.
See the report on both of these developments in Science Daily (12 Feb 2009):
Human Skin Cells Reprogrammed Into Embryonic Stem Cells

Australian Commonwealth legislation...

During 2002, the Australian federal government considered legislation relating to stem cell research involving the use of embryos, and also human cloning.

Both Houses voted to ban human cloning (reproductive, ie resulting in the birth of a child) but allow the use of embryos for stem cell research.

2002: Embryo Stem Cell research:
House of Representatives Vote: the House of Representatives voted to allow research on embryos on 25 September 2002. The vote was 99 in favour, 33 opposed. For a full list of how the MPs voted, see "House of Representatives vote 25 Sept 2002".

Senate: The Senate sent the bill to an Inquiry. The Senate received the report from the Inquiry on 24 October 2002.
The Senate then voted on the Bill. A majority of Senators supported the legislation to allow embryos to be used for stem cell research. This applies only to embryos created prior to 5 April 2002. Embryos cannot be created for the purpose of using them for stem cell research. However, researchers have already said they want to move further.

By November 2004, several licences had already been granted for research using embryos.

2005: Review of Legislation
The Lockhart Committee reviewed the legislation on cloning and embryo stem cell research that was passed by the federal government in 2002 (see below).
Submissions were due by 9 September 2005 and a report was due to Parliament by mid-December 2005.

Click here for the Lockhart Committee website.

Click here for the Australian government's 'Bioethics' portal.

2006: Further Legislation
Further legislation went to the Commonwealth parliament in 2006 and was passed (see above and at left).