Ethical and Policy Issues of Human Cloning

Abstract

Tremendous debate was stirred by the announcement of the successful cloning of a sheep from a differentiated somatic cell. One result was that the National Bioethics Advisory Commission was asked by the president of the United States to report on the ethical and legal issues arising from the possibility that the cloning of humans could become a reality. In this Policy Forum, the chairman of that commission, Harold Shapiro of Princeton University, summarizes the recommendations of the panel and the challenges and concerns that led them to advocate a moratorium on the cloning of humans at the present time.