Issues in the News

International Legislation: Cloning and Stem Cell

Status of stem cell legislation in various countries

6 December 2006 - A look at stem cell legislation around the world - [pdf 29kb]

UK Scientists set to use animal eggs

6 October 2006 - Pressure to lift ban on embryos
http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/pressure-to-lift-ban-
on-embryos/2006/10/05/1159641464898.html

UK authorities seek out donor views

7 September 2006 - 'Donor eggs for science' debated
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/5323894.stm

Poor future for stem cell research in Australia sees scientists leave

12 August 2006 - Stem cell scientist joins the exodus http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,20098892-
2702,00.html

International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) and the International Stem Cell Research Guidelines Taskforce

30 November 2005 - ISSCR set up task force
http://www.isscr.org/press_releases/ethics_tf.htm

7 June 2006 - Call for submissions on draft guidelines presented at 4th Annual ISSCR meeting in Toronto (submissions deadline: 1 September 2006) http://www.isscr.org/scientists/guidelines.cfm

General Assembly adopts United Nations Declaration On Human Cloning by vote of 84-34-37

8/3/2005- Fifty-Ninth General Assembly, Plenary, 82nd Meeting (AM)
WHO Press Release GA/10333 [pdf 144kb]

UN bans reproductive cloning
21/02/05- The legal committee of the United Nations' General Assembly voted on Friday (February 18) by a slim majority in favor of a non-legally binding agreement that asks member states to prohibit reproductive cloning and adopt legislation to respect "human dignity" and "human life." But the text, which one diplomat said was intentionally ambiguous, does not define when life begins...
...In the hours leading up to Friday's meeting, both sides fiercely debated the declaration's language, and it was unclear whether a vote would even take place. The vote reflected the committee's indecision: out of 191 member states, the final tally was 71 for to 35 against, with many abstentions.
The Scientist :
http://www.biomedcentral.com/news/20050221/01