UN delays decision on human cloning
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《英国医生杂志》
The United Nations has delayed plans to agree a convention on the cloning of human embryos and announced last week that a working group will be set up to develop a declaration—a much weaker device that would not impose a comprehensive ban on reproductive cloning—to be voted on in three months?time.
The recommendation comes after a meeting in October of the UN抯 sixth committee, which agrees legal issues, to consider two proposals on human cloning. The first proposal from Costa Rica, also supported by the United States, recommended a complete ban on both reproductive and therapeutic cloning. A second proposal from Belgium suggested a ban on reproductive cloning—which all 191 UN members oppose—but allowing member countries to make their own decisions on therapeutic cloning. The aim was to vote on which of the two proposals should be adopted by the UN and to formulate an international convention that would have applied to all member countries.
Costa Rica抯 proposal for a total ban on cloning was supported by 62 countries, while the Belgian proposal had 22 supporters, mostly European countries. To avoid a divisive vote on the issue Italy抯 UN representative introduced a resolution last week proposing a declaration on human cloning, which essentially replaced the two earlier proposals that aimed at a convention on the issue.
The new declaration stated: "The Assembly would solemnly call on states to adopt and implement national legislation prohibiting attempts to create human life through cloning and to ensure respect for human life in the application of science, particularly by barring the exploitation of women. States would also be called upon to prohibit genetic engineering techniques contrary to human dignity." It is essentially a less powerful, non-binding declaration that would encourage, but not require, nations to pass laws conforming to its position, written in language ambiguous enough to please both sides of the argument.
The committee agreed that the declaration would form the basis for discussions of a working group that will meet in February 2005 to develop a report that will then be voted on. The committee抯 chairman, Mohamed Bennouna, from Morocco, said that he would chair the working group, which would be open to all states and members of specialised agencies and the International Atomic Energy Agency. The issue of cloning was a highly charged one, he argued, adding that "it would have been damaging for the committee to not come together on a matter with such grave consequence for humanity."
A spokesman for the Royal Society, the United Kingdom抯 national academy of science, said: "The Royal Society is disappointed at the failure of the UN to reach an agreement on introducing a worldwide ban on human reproductive cloning. This is a missed opportunity to send a clear message to maverick scientists that attempting to carry out reproductive cloning is entirely unacceptable."
He added: "We hope that the proposed political declaration at least makes clear that there is worldwide consensus on this issue, even if countries cannot agree on whether to allow therapeutic cloning." The United Kingdom already has national legislation banning reproductive cloning but allowing therapeutic cloning under strict regulation.
The Royal Society had been concerned that an international treaty on cloning might have been decided on political rather than scientific grounds. George Bush, the US president, was in favour of the total ban on cloning proposed by Costa Rica when he spoke to the UN抯 general assembly in August, urging "all governments to affirm a basic ethical principle: no human life should ever be produced or destroyed for the benefit of another."(London Susan Mayor)
The recommendation comes after a meeting in October of the UN抯 sixth committee, which agrees legal issues, to consider two proposals on human cloning. The first proposal from Costa Rica, also supported by the United States, recommended a complete ban on both reproductive and therapeutic cloning. A second proposal from Belgium suggested a ban on reproductive cloning—which all 191 UN members oppose—but allowing member countries to make their own decisions on therapeutic cloning. The aim was to vote on which of the two proposals should be adopted by the UN and to formulate an international convention that would have applied to all member countries.
Costa Rica抯 proposal for a total ban on cloning was supported by 62 countries, while the Belgian proposal had 22 supporters, mostly European countries. To avoid a divisive vote on the issue Italy抯 UN representative introduced a resolution last week proposing a declaration on human cloning, which essentially replaced the two earlier proposals that aimed at a convention on the issue.
The new declaration stated: "The Assembly would solemnly call on states to adopt and implement national legislation prohibiting attempts to create human life through cloning and to ensure respect for human life in the application of science, particularly by barring the exploitation of women. States would also be called upon to prohibit genetic engineering techniques contrary to human dignity." It is essentially a less powerful, non-binding declaration that would encourage, but not require, nations to pass laws conforming to its position, written in language ambiguous enough to please both sides of the argument.
The committee agreed that the declaration would form the basis for discussions of a working group that will meet in February 2005 to develop a report that will then be voted on. The committee抯 chairman, Mohamed Bennouna, from Morocco, said that he would chair the working group, which would be open to all states and members of specialised agencies and the International Atomic Energy Agency. The issue of cloning was a highly charged one, he argued, adding that "it would have been damaging for the committee to not come together on a matter with such grave consequence for humanity."
A spokesman for the Royal Society, the United Kingdom抯 national academy of science, said: "The Royal Society is disappointed at the failure of the UN to reach an agreement on introducing a worldwide ban on human reproductive cloning. This is a missed opportunity to send a clear message to maverick scientists that attempting to carry out reproductive cloning is entirely unacceptable."
He added: "We hope that the proposed political declaration at least makes clear that there is worldwide consensus on this issue, even if countries cannot agree on whether to allow therapeutic cloning." The United Kingdom already has national legislation banning reproductive cloning but allowing therapeutic cloning under strict regulation.
The Royal Society had been concerned that an international treaty on cloning might have been decided on political rather than scientific grounds. George Bush, the US president, was in favour of the total ban on cloning proposed by Costa Rica when he spoke to the UN抯 general assembly in August, urging "all governments to affirm a basic ethical principle: no human life should ever be produced or destroyed for the benefit of another."(London Susan Mayor)