Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer

• Produce immunologically identical tissues for treatment purposes

• The procedure can be used to clone humans• Unlike reproductive cloning, therapeutic

cloning does not lead to the creation of a new individual

Adult stem cells as an alternative that doesn't involve embryonic destruction

• Embryonic stem cells are easier to isolate and grow ex vivo

• Embryonic stem cells divide more rapidly • Adult stem cells from the patient's own body

might not be effective in treatment of genetic disorders.

• Genetic manipulation of cells is required to generate iPS cells

Is destruction of embryo morally equivalent to killing of a human life?

• Brings into tension two fundamental moral principles that we highly value: the duty to prevent or alleviate suffering, and the duty to respect the value of human life.

• Moral status of human embryo

Religious Views on Stem Cell Research

• Islam: majority of Muslim thinkers through the ages have accepted the morality of abortion through the fourth month of pregnancy. Medical progress is a strong value and stem cell research is acceptable due to its therapeutic benefits

• Buddhism: prohibits harm to any sentient beings, which presents possible restrictions on embryo and animal research. Principle of non-harming can be interpreted as prohibiting only the harm on sentient beings that is those who are able to feel.

• Hindu: rejects both animal research and the destruction of sentient embryos

Religious Views on Stem Cell Research

• Roman Catholic, Orthodox, conservative Protestant Churches: every intervention not in favour of the embryo is a violation of the right to life of a human embryo

• Less conservative Protestant Churches: prior to the “primitive streak” stage bearing in mind the seriousness of certain medical conditions that could possibly be treated

• Judaism: ultimate goal of human embryonic stem cell research to be life saving. Human foetus less than 40 days old does not have a full human status . After those first 40 days the embryo in the uterus is considered a part of the woman until birth

Permitted for Therapeutic Cloning but not for Reproductive Cloning

• United Kingdom• China• Japan• South Korea• Saudi Arabia• Australia• Belgium • Sweden

Prohibited or Severely Restricted

• Germany• Austria• Italy• Finland• Greece• Ireland• Portugal• Netherlands• New Zealand

Prohibit Embryo Creation for Research Purposes

• France• Brazil• Canada

United States

• States with statutes specifically banning human reproductive and therapeutic cloning– Arkansas, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, North Dakota, South Dakota,

Virginia, • States with statutes specifically banning human

reproductive cloning– Maryland, 2006 SB 144

• States banning the use of public monies for reproductive and/or therapeutic cloning– Arizona, Missouri,

• States with statutes specifically allowing therapeutic cloning– California, Missouri, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Connecticut

Malaysian Guideline

• Research on human adult stem cells is allowed.• Research on stem cells derived from foetal

tissues from legally performed termination of pregnancy is allowed.

• Research on non-human stem cells is allowed.• Use of embryonic stem cells lines for research

purposes is allowed.• Research on embryonic stem cells derived from

surplus embryos is allowed.