- Target:
- The Senate Standing Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology
- Region:
- Canada
As part of The Senate Standing Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology, I understand you reviewed Bill C-6 (An Act respecting assisted human reproduction and related research), which your committee ultimately approved on March 3, 2004. I applaud that under this bill, the creation of a human clone by using any technique will be strictly prohibited. However, I strongly urge you and the Committee to reconsider another aspect of the bill; the permission to use surplus embryos left over from fertility treatments for research cloning purposes. I argue that rather than a partial ban, a full ban that prohibits both research and reproductive purposes would be the most effective and ethically responsible safeguard against the birth of a cloned human being. This is because a primary objective of research cloning is to develop human embryos to the stage at which stem cells are present. However, at this stage they would also be suitable for implantation, and the birth of a cloned human embryo would only be short step away. Furthermore, cloning of human embryos is unethical due to values of non-maleficence, violations of autonomy, disrespect for human dignity, and justice infringement.
At present, Bill C-6 permits research cloning, which we believe will facilitate the technology that can also be used for reproductive cloning. If we wish avoid human reproductive cloning - which violates the values of non-maleficence, autonomy, respect for human dignity, and justice - then a law that prevents a requisite activity should be regarded as preferable. We understand this Bill is to be reviewed by your Committee again in the near future. As concerned individuals, we the undersigned, would like to petition for the Committee to seriously consider the potential failings of a partial ban and realize the merits of a full and comprehensive ban on cloning for both reproductive and research purposes.
You can further help this campaign by sponsoring it
The Ban Reproductive Cloning petition to The Senate Standing Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology was written by Edwin and is in the category Science & Technology at GoPetition.