Bishops' pro-life chairman seeks full ban on human cloning

Published: 2004-04-02

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- The head of the U.S. bishops' Committee on Pro-Life Activities has criticized the President's Council on Bioethics for not supporting a total ban on human embryo experiments and on human cloning. The council's April 1 report recommends allowing embryo experimentation up to 10-14 days after fertilization and permitting cloning of human embryos for research, but not for reproduction. Anything short of total bans on human cloning and on experimentation with human embryos is inadequate, said Cardinal William H. Keeler of Baltimore, head of the pro-life committee. Cardinal Keeler praised other council recommendations that would prohibit creation of human/animal hybrids, the placing of human embryos in the bodies of animals, and the buying, selling or patenting of human embryos. "Also welcome are recommendations for monitoring in vitro fertilization clinics to prevent harm to women and children," he said in an April 1 statement released in Washington.

Copyright (c) 2004 Catholic News Service /U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The CNS news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed, including but not limited to such means as framing or any other digital copying or distribution method, in whole or in part without the prior written authority of Catholic News Service .