News

Cloning: A Giant Step
Steve Connor, The Independent, November 12, 2007
For the first time, scientists have created dozens of cloned embryos from adult primates. But what are the implications of this technical breakthrough for the future of mankind?
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Cloning: Making Super Camels
Kamakshi Gupta, XPress, November 9, 2007
Scientists in the UAE have recently begun efforts to clone camels using the single cell technique.
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Eating Cloned Products Not Harmful to Body, Professors Say
Jason B. Hogan, The Ranger, November 9, 2007
Biology professors at San Antonio College say that consuming beef or swine of the cloned variety should have no effect on a person.
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Stem Cell Research: Human Cloning Prohibited
Meri News India, November 8 2007
After almost five years of consultation, a panel of Indian experts has at last devised a set of guidelines to regulate stem cell research and its use in India.
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California Stem Cell Research Program Will Begin Funding Human Cloning
Steven Ertelt, LifeNews.com, October 16, 2007
A pro-life law firm that was behind the lawsuit against California's stem cell research agency for allegedly violating various state laws says the program is now backing human cloning.
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US Stem Cell Policy News
Antony Blackburn-Starza, BioNews.org, September 03, 2007
Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich has passed a new measure that supports stem cell research - including that on human embryonic stem cells - but prohibits human cloning.
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Anti-cloning Group Launches Effort to Overturn Missouri Amendment
Kit Wagar, The Kansas City Star, August 22, 2007
A fledgling political group calling itself "Cures without Cloning" launched an initiative campaign Wednesday morning designed to overturn the key provision of last year's Amendment 2.
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Future of Stem Cell Tests May Hang on Defining Embryo Harm
Rick Weiss, Washington Post, July 29, 2007
In the past year, U.S. scientists have developed several methods for creating stem cells without having to destroy human embryos.
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Comment: Let's Legalise Cloning
Hugh McLachlan, NewScientist.com, July 18, 2007
In many countries, including the UK, human reproductive cloning -- creating a baby from the genetic material of a single adult -- is a criminal offence. Now, some are calling for legalization.
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State Approves Funds to Become Stem Cell Leader
Dunstan McNichol, The Star Ledger, June 13, 2007
New Jersey has authorized $9.1 million to launch construction of a stem-cell research lab, and state lawmakers have agreed to ask voters to approve $450 million to bankroll research grants.
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Stem Cells Produced from 'Reprogrammed' Skin Cells
Alisa Taylor, BioNews.co.uk, June 11, 2007
Three independent research groups have reported successfully creating cells that act like stem cells from the skin cells of adult mice; this technique could potentially help resolve the ongoing ethical debate surrounding some stem-cell research.
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U.S. Stem Cell Funding Bill Looks Set for Defeat
MacKenna Roberts, BioNews.org.uk, June 5, 2007
The U.S. bill that would expand federal funding for human embryonic stem cell research appears to be poised for defeat. President Bush has promised to veto the bill, and Congress appears unable to garner enough votes to override the president's opposition.
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After Court Victory on Stem Cells, California Faces Questions on Construction Grants
Jeffrey Brainard, Chronicle of Higher Education, May 2007
The California Supreme Court has cleared the way for a massive state program of stem-cell research, but leaders of the effort are grappling with how best to carry out the next steps.
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Euro-MP Threatens to Sink Stem Cell Law
Katherine Griffiths, The Daily Telegraph, April 18, 2007
A Slovakian politician could torpedo key European legislation that would allow companies to register medicines made from stem cells.
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Representative Nelson Introduces Ban on Human Cloning in Oregon
Salem News, April 14, 2007
Joining the 13 states that currently ban cloning, House Bill 2662 would make it a felony for a person in Oregon to clone, or attempt to clone, a human being.
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Key Stem Cell Patents Revoked
Gaia Vince, NewScientist.com. April 3, 2007
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has revoked fundamental patents on human embryonic stem cells.
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Cloning Fight Advances as Senators Introduce Bill to Allow Research Uses
Jeffrey Brainard, The Chronicle of Higher Education, March 2007
A group of U.S. senators introduced legislation that would legalize biomedical research that destroys cloned human cells under government oversight.
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Embryonic Stem Cell Research Gets Surprise Support
Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar and Karen Kaplan, Los Angeles Times, March 20, 2007
In a high-profile dissent from Bush Administration policy, the nationšs top medical research official said that he backs an end to restrictions on federal funding for embryonic stem-cell research.
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Victoria to Vote on Therapeutic Cloning
Antony Blackburn-Starza, BioNews.org.ud, March 19, 2007
Victoria may become the first Australian state to allow scientists to conduct therapeutic cloning by nuclear transfer, as legislation legalizing such research was proposed by Victoriašs Health Minister Bronwyn Pike.
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Adult Stem Cell Study Flawed, Panel Says
Joshua Freed, Wired.com, March 1, 2007
A scientific panel says a 2002 study that suggested adult stem cells might be as useful as embryonic ones was flawed and its conclusions may be wrong. This finding raises questions about the promise of this less-controversial source of stem cells.
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Iowa Close to Lifting Cloning Ban
Tom Strode, Baptist Press, February 26, 2007
Iowa is a governor's signature away from reversing a ban on human cloning for research purposes.
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Illinois Senate OKs Stem Cell Research
CBS News, February 23, 2007
The Illinois Senate has voted to spend state tax dollars on embryonic stem-cell research.
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Mouse Stem Cell Line Advance Suggests Potential for IVF-Incompetent Eggs
Fertility News, February 23, 2007
Researchers have found that mouse oocytes that fail to become fertilized during in vitro fertilization are nevertheless often capable of succeeding as "cytoplasmic donors" during a subsequent cloning step using so-called nuclear transfer.
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Increase in Egg Donors Raises Concerns
Martha Irvine, The Associated Press, February 19, 2007
Human egg donation was a rarity not so long ago. But heightened demand for eggs -- and rising compensation for donors -- are prompting more young women to consider it.
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Leaders in U.S., U.K. of Embryonic Stem Cell Banks Pledge Cooperation to Promote Research
Ryan Foles, North County Times, February 14, 2007
Leaders of national embryonic stem-cell banks in the United States and the United Kingdom have pledged to work together to promote research, create international standards, and more efficiently distribute each other's cells.
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Cloning from Hairs Offers Prospect of Specialist Therapies
Alok Jha, The Guardian, February 13, 2007
Scientists have, for the first time, cloned mice using stem cells from the hairs of mature animals. The technique is several times more efficient than other cloning using adult cells, and, in future, it could be used to create tailored therapies and help understand various diseases.
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Egg Donors for Stem Cell Research Face Small Risks, Study Says
Rob Waters, Bloomberg.com, February 7, 2007
Women who donate their eggs for use in stem-cell research face minimal risks, mostly from the hormones used to stimulate their bodies to release multiple eggs, according to an Institute of Medicine report.
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Stem-cell Research Guidelines Ignore Pressing Issues
David Magnus, Mercury News, February 5, 2007
The International Society for Stem Cell Research announced its recommended guidelines.
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Estimates of Funding for Various Diseases, Conditions, Research Areas
National Institutes of Health, February 5, 2007
NIH posted their estimates for stem-cell research funding in a revised "Estimates of Funding for Various Diseases, Conditions, Research Areas." The full table is available on the NIH website.
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U.S. Stem Cell Update
Antony Blackburn-Starza, BioNews.org, January 29, 2007
As the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act 2007 navigates Congress, leading U.S. stem-cell researchers -- including a high level National Institutes of Health officials -- have voiced their opposition to federal limits on embryonic stem-cell research.
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Global Trade in Human Eggs Thriving
AP, New York Times, January 27, 2007
The international sale of eggs has become a booming business.
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Fees Relaxed to Boost Stem Cell Research
Ryan J. Foley, The Associated Press, January 24, 2007
The Wisconsin foundation that holds patents covering U.S. embryonic stem-cell research will waive some of its fees to encourage more industry-sponsored research.
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Rebate Plan for Eggs Cracks Open an Ethics Mess
Arthur Caplan, MSNBC.com, January 22, 2007
Some British scientists propose offering rebates to women seeking infertility services in exchange for giving up some of their eggs for use in stem-cell research.
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