Dennis M. Sullivan, MD, MA (Ethics)Professor of Biology

Director, Center for BioethicsCedarville University

Center Web site:www.cedarville.edu/bioethics

E-mail: sullivan@cedarville.edu

Objectives

� To review the current context of the human cloningdebate, especially as it relates to embryo-destructiveresearch

� To describe recent attempts to craft a legal barrier tobiomedical extremism in Ohio

President Obama Speech (3/9/09):Changing the NIH Funding Policy for Embryonic Stem Cell Research

� Today, with the Executive Order I am about to sign, we willbring the change that so many scientists and researchers;doctors and innovators; patients and loved ones have hoped for,and fought for, these past eight years: we will lift the ban onfederal funding for promising embryonic stem cell research . . .

� At this moment, the full promise of stem cell research remainsunknown, and it should not be overstated . . .

� When government fails to make these investments,opportunities are missed. Promising avenues go unexplored . . .

� [W]e [will] make scientific decisions based on facts, notideology.

Robert George

& Christopher Tollefsen:� On January 16, 2007, a remarkable journey came to an end . . .

Sixteen months earlier, Noah Benton Markham’s life had beenjeopardized by the winds and rain of Hurricane Katrina.Trapped in a flooded hospital in New Orleans, Noah dependedupon the timely work of [many rescuers] to take him to safety . ..

� Noah’s story of rescue is . . . one of many inspirational tales ofheroism from that national disaster.

� What, then, makes it unique? And why did the story of hisrescue end sixteen months after the events of September 2006?

� The answer: Noah [was] one of the youngest residents of NewOrleans to be saved from Katrina . . .

A Difference in Perspective:

� According to the first narrative:

� Frozen human embryos are a means to an end

� They are valuable for the good they might provide forothers

� Based on highly speculative research that has yet tocure a single human illness

A Difference in Perspective (cont.):

� According to the second narrative:

� Frozen human embryos are ends in themselves

� An embryo is “a whole living member of the speciesHomo sapiens in the earliest stage of his or her naturaldevelopment.”*

� If not implanted:� A tragedy� Human beings whom no one will love� They will never have a name

* Embryo: A Defense of Human Life, by RP George and C Tollefsen

Embryo-Destructive Research:

Promising Dream or Cynical Lie?

Welcome to the

Clone Wars . . .

“A long time ago, in a fertility

lab far away . . .”

�Louise Joy Brown was born

�July 25, 1978 (Great Britain)

�Beginning of modern reproductivetechnologies

�Ethical oversight was minimal

Assisted Reproductive Technology� in vitro fertilization (IVF)

� hyperstimulation of ovaries with powerful hormones

� follow progress with ultrasound

� harvest eggs, then fertilize some or all

� 5 day development of embryos

� implantation of 2-4 embryos

� freezing of excess remaining embryos

“Left-Over” Embryos� Frozen Embryos

� How many embryos in cryopreservation canisters?� U.S. alone: 600,000� Worldwide: who really knows?

� Basis of a contentious national debate� Source of embryonic stem cells

� Used to potentially grow new tissues and organs� May help treat chronic diseases� Diabetes, Parkinson’s, heart disease, spinal cord injuries

The Rest of the Story� How many embryos are actually available?

� Only a small % of the 600K could be used for research

� 80% are still held for possible future implantation

� 10% are donated for implantation in others

� Only 10% available for research

� 10% is not enough!

� Therefore, embryo-destructive research is a “blackhole” � human cloning

Building the Concept of Personhood� Person: A member of the moral community

(Beckwith).

� Implies:� Value

� Inviolability

� Potential Candidates:� (Some or all) human beings

� God and purely spiritual beings

� Intelligent Martians (if they exist)

� Higher animals, “intelligent” robots (controversial)

Human Personhood� Key question:

� Is the category “human person” coextensive with thecategory “human being?”

� If yes, then there is no such thing as a human non-person

� If no, then:

� some human beings are not persons

� (or at least) human personhood can exist in gradations ordegrees

Conception view of personhood� A human being is a person from the moment of

conception and at every subsequent moment.

� Human personhood corresponds with biologicalhumanhood

� Moral value is intrinsic, and begins at the earliestmoment of biological life

The First Six Days of Life

Some Key Terms

� Gametes: sperm or egg

� Fertilization: union of sperm and egg

� Zygote: a “one-celled” embryo (right afterfertilization)

� Embryo: up until 8 weeks of development

Three Clear Scientific Reasons:� The embryo is distinct

� Not the same entity as gametes that led to it

� Biological life begins here

� The embryo is human

� From fertilization, 46 chromosomes

� Genetic makeup of human beings

� (“When does human life begin?” is not the question)

� The embryo is complete

� “a whole living member” of our species in the earlieststage of development

� All that is needed: time and nutrition to grow into an adultmember of our species

Cloning Defined . . .� The nucleus (containing the genetic code)is removed

from a somatic (body) cell (e.g., a skin cell)� This is inserted into a human egg with its own DNA

removed (enucleated)� Called somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT)� Stimulated to grow by a chemical or electric signal� This mimics natural fertilization� The result looks very much like a human embryo� If allowed to develop and implant, theoretically could

become a normal baby

Natural FertilizationNatural Fertilization

Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer

Reproductive Cloning� Cloning as a form of assisted reproductive technology,

like IVF

� The resulting baby would be a genetically identicaltwin to the person whose DNA created it

� Examples?

� Exhibit A: Dolly

� Exhibit B: Has this been done

in humans?

Dr. Panayiotis Zavos� 2001: teamed up with Italian

embryologist Severino Antinori

� ten women lined up for clones

� never verified

� 2004: claimed he implanted a cloned embryo into a 35year-old woman

� clone of her husband

� never verified

� 2006: claimed to have cloned and implanted into fivewomen

� one was a Briton

� never verified

� Now working in a “secret lab” in the Middle East

Why this is all so sick . . .

� Not even remotely safe

� Cloning Dolly took 277 attempts

� Dolly lived 6 years, euthanized after premature aging

� In humans, a huge toll of birth defects would result

� No responsible health organization, physicians group,or reputable research institution favors rep. cloning

“Therapeutic” Cloning

The Heart of the Clone Wars:

� “Our intention is not to create cloned human beings,but rather to make life-saving therapies for a widerange of human disease conditions, includingdiabetes, strokes, cancer, AIDS, andneurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson’sand Alzheimer’s disease.”� Robert Lanza, Advanced Cell Technology

� [We are] speaking as individuals and scientists. I’mnot an expert in ethics.� Michael West, President, Advanced Cell Technology

Human cloning has only been

done once . . .

� Dr. Samuel Wood, January, 2008

� Californian research company Stemagen

� Used DNA from his own skin cells

Ethical Objections� “Therapeutic Cloning” is a euphemism

� There are currently no therapies available

� There are many complications

� “Research Cloning” is the more appropriate phrase

� Research cloning destroys human lives

� There are many other alternatives

� Adult stem cells therapies are numerous and successful

� These are currently being used to save lives

� New horizon: iPS cells

The Ohio Experience

March, 2008:

Testimony before the Senate Civil Justice Committee

Reflections . . .� The attitude towards any restrictions on research

� OSU

� Cincinnati Children’s

� CWRU

� Politics and 8th grade biology

� “From your religious viewpoint . . .”

� The “half a loaf” plan

� How it all ended

Update: 2009� Meeting last spring with research scientists

� The surprising results

� The present climate

Banning Cloning Should be

an easy “Slam-Dunk”� 94% of all Americans support a ban

� There is absolutely no reason to oppose it

� A ban would send a clear signal to the people of Ohiothat there are some lines we should not cross

� If hospitals and scientists support a ban, this wouldencourage donors and patients alike

� A good result for everyone

� This is a battle we should win

After all, the

Real “Force”

is With Us

Bibliography

� Condic ML, “Life: Defining the Beginning by the End,” First Things,May, 2003 (link).

� George RP & C Tollefsen, Embryo: A Defense of Human Life,Doubleday, 2008.

� Kreeft P, Human Personhood Begins at Conception, Castello Instituteof Stafford, Stafford, Virginia, 1997, (link).

� Lee P & RP George, "The First Fourteen Days of Human Life," The NewAtlantis, Number 13, Summer 2006, pp. 61-67 (link).

� Sullivan DM, “The Conception View of Personhood,” Ethics andMedicine 19:1, 2003 (link).

Dennis M. Sullivan, MD, MA (Ethics)Professor of Biology

Director, Center for BioethicsCedarville University

Center Web site:www.cedarville.edu/bioethics

E-mail: sullivan@cedarville.edu