The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) in Britain has instigated widespread response to their decision in granting a licence allowing experts at the University of Newcastle to perform therapeutic cloning using human embryos.

The green light was given to scientists from the Centre for Life at Newcastle University, northern England, who aim to use the stem cells cloned to find out if they can use the biological material to treat diseases such as Parkinson’s and cure disabling spinal injuries.

However, the evangelical pressure group CARE believe that a cloned embryo should be considered as ‘a human being’, and further called for a 'fundamental rethink' on the decision for human cloning.

Their concerns arise from fears that cloning in this way may cheapen the value of human life. CARE’s Head of Public Policy Roger Smith said: "This is a bad decision for a whole range of reasons. Apart from what you do with the cloned embryo, there is no distinction between therapeutic and reproductive cloning - the knowledge, expertise and equipment are entirely the same. The only difference is whether the embryo lives or dies.”

He continued, “The Centre for Life will make and then kill an embryo as a source of spare parts for the use of others. This research cheapens human life.”

“This research significantly increases the chance of a cloned child at some point in the near future. We need a fundamental rethink of the ethics of this science...and have to remember that the clone is a human being in itself,” concluded Smith.

Britain will now stand alone amongst western countries in allowing the cloning of a human embryo. The cloning technique is called ‘cell nuclear replacement’, and involves removing the nucleus of a human egg cell and replacing it with the nucleus from a human body cell, such as a skin cell. The cloned embryo will then be stimulated to begin to grow in the same way as a normal embryo fertilised by sperm.

Joining CARE in condemning the HFEA’s decision, the Vatican also reiterated its firm opposition to human cloning, and stated its plans to make a detailed assessment on the British research once more details emerge of the research team’s plans.

"The Holy Father has always unequivocally condemned all forms of human cloning, even for therapeutic purposes," Vatican spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls said.

The Pope, John Paul, has made his feelings against human cloning well known in speeches and official documents in the past. Even for transplant purposes, he believes that the procedure is morally unacceptable if it involved the “manipulation and destruction of human embryos”, even if the reason for cloning was itself a good one.

"Science itself points to other forms of therapeutic intervention which would not involve cloning or the use of embryonic cells, but rather would make use of stem cells taken from adults," said the head of the Roman Catholic Church in the ‘International Congress of Transplant Specialists’ in 2000.

"This is the direction that research must follow if it wishes to respect the dignity of each and every human being, even at an embryonic stage," the Pope said.
However, scientists have warned that it will be at least five years, if not many more, before patients could receive stem cell treatments based on their work and research.

Scientists have been adamant in saying that stem cell technology is intended to create material that could one day treat diabetes, cancer, Alzheimer's disease and other disorders, and not to make a cloned child.

"We hope to start as soon as possible, because we have the background, we have the knowledge, we have everything here in Newcastle," said Dr Miodrag Stojkovic, the man leading the research.

Human embryo cloning has in fact been pioneered in South Korea, with a team from Seoul National University announcing in February that it had been successful in creating stem cells using the technique.