The following comes from an April 16 story by Wesley Smith on LifeSiteNews.com. Smith blogs at Secondhand Smoke.
Human cloning is in the wind! Researchers are working diligently to learn how to accomplish such asexual reproduction, as can now be done in many animals, including monkeys. Once that happens, expect the debate over the legality and ethics of human cloning to make the embryonic stem cell brouhaha seem like a playful snowball fight.
Cloning of the kind used to make Dolly the sheep, known as somatic cell nuclear transfer, requires one human egg per try. But human eggs (oocytes) are in very short supply. This “egg dearth” (as I call it), has hobbled the biotech industry from successfully cloning human embryos. I have predicted that will soon change. Now, fueling my suspicion, new California legislation has been filed to permit researchers to pay women for undergoing egg extraction–which can cost ”donors” their health, fecundity, even their lives.
First, the prices paid would be set by the researchers: From AB 926:
(j) This bill will reverse the current ban on compensation for women providing human oocytes for research. Compensation amounts will be determined by human subject research panels and institutional review boards.
Not only that, but IVF clinics will be given a financial incentive to extract eggs or create embryos in excess of need. The bill would permit the set price to be waived if the eggs or embryos came from qualified IVF clinics:
If a woman providing human oocytes for the purposes of fertility is compensated, and any human oocytes or embryos in excess of those needed for fertility are offered for research, the institutional review board shall disregard the amount of compensation if all of the following conditions are met:
(a) The clinic performing oocyte retrieval is a member of the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology.
(b) The procurement and disposition for research purposes of human oocytes initially provided for reproductive uses, either for use by the donor or another woman, shall not knowingly compromise the optimal reproductive success of the woman in the infertility treatment.
(c) The infertility treatment protocol is established prior to requesting or obtaining consent for donation for research purposes and the prospect of donation for research does not alter the timing, method, or procedures selected for clinical care.
(d) The woman in infertility treatment makes the determination that she does not want or need the oocytes for her own reproductive success.
(e) The donation of oocytes for research is done without valuable consideration as defined in Section 125350.
I can’t figure out whether the women would have to consent to using their eggs and embryos in research, or whether they or the clinic would receive the money. But this I do know: Women are being objectified for their procreative body parts, and nascent human life is increasingly being looked upon as a natural resource akin to a copper mine or prize cattle herd.
To read origingal story, click here.
This bill is totally morally repugnant. Per the Catholic Catechism, this type of procedures is gravely immoral. So what do you think the California Conference of Bishops says about it? I quote from the Catholic Conference website that covers legislation:
“CCC Comment: Opposed to this bill which proposes paying women for their eggs to be used for research. Poor women would be the most likely recruits for this procedure of egg retrieval for which the lasting effects are unknown. Additionally, the eggs would be used to create embyos which would be destroyed in the research.”
Yes, that is it. Is the word immoral here at all? No, per the Conference of Bishops this is a “social justice issue”. What a pitiful organization.
No, Luarette, that is NOT it, and you ought to save your pity for something else. I am tired of you and others posting harshly and unreasonably against our bishops, and your twisted use of “scare quotes” around Catholic Social Justice. CCC’s commentary and Jennifer Lahl’s testimony against this bill are easily accessible through the CCC website.
I think it’s great that you care as passionately about life issues as I do, and I am grateful that you comment, but picking the Body of Christ apart, then loving some of the pieces while denigrating others precisely parallels and perversely reinforces the dismemberment of human persons we oppose.
Laurette yes I agree with you….some speak out about the poor, which is fine if there were a balance especially on moral issues such as this, some even speak out against gun control and the death penalty but why are they silent or hardly say much about these serious moral issues? It’s disgusting to me. On another thread a man judges another man for having a disgust of homosexuality in our priesthoods and judges the commenter. Really? How disgusting it is for us to want to silent words that speak out the cries of the faithful, the disgust of sinful choices…ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!!!
Your words are reasonable dear child of Christ! He is hearing us now….it is when we stop saying them or when they are not expressed often that is when we should be concerned!
What tires me the most is those who call themselves Catholic and who advocate “gay” lifestyles here or on any Catholic faith based websites.
More proof that the State of California is run by liberal loons. Are there any bishops that will point the evil in this Bill AB 926?
And where is the Bishop’s California Catholic Conference?
How much do you think human life will be worth after this?
Bye Bye old folks in Nursing Homes.
Many human lives are lost at IVF clinics and one seems to care. Does anyone know of a protest (past or planned) at an IVF clinic?
Let’s see — California funds PP to kill babies conceived “normally” and funds cloning, “conceiving” babies in a Petri dish. Sex without babies and babies without sex. What a crazy world we live in…
Peggy I wonder if this is done so they can experience on same sex couples so they can have children against the natural law??? Just a thought….after all you brought up some good points….
Mankind is now saying to God…..WE don’t need you….we will see how far this wickedness will go…only those who fear the Lord know the truth.
And we have a “Catholic” Governor and Lt. Governor who the CA “bishops” refuse to enforce Canon 915 against.
God bless, yours in Their Hearts,
Kenneth M. Fisher
If we did human cloning and in particular change the DNA of future human generations by genetic engineering it would be the equivalent of a nuclear holocaust. We should not cross that line.
I am a science teacher who has read much on this topic. The picture of Dolly is ironic, for that animal died after a short and unhealthy life, and was the only success in hundreds of attempts. There is still suspicion that she was not a true clone, but the result of an IVF “accidentally” introduced into the Petri dish (and the issue, to my knowledge, was never settled). A Korean scientist (much ballyhooed by Scientific American) claimed to have cloned a human and was determined to be a fraud. This is an outrage against human dignity and Divine Law, success or no, but if they haven;t found a successful medical treatment from embryonic stem cells, how likely is a successful cloning?
Tom you bring up good points. Maybe a more in depth reporting of what you just said would be awesome here too….to expose their deception..awe what a jewel…