Dr. Dean Edell: When you say the word cloning people automatically think of making a covering copy of an animal or human, but experts define it differently.
Bernard Siegel: A reproductive cloning is an attempt to actually clone a human being and create a clone baby. Therapeutic cloning, is a form of stem cell research.
Dr. Dean Edell: Scientists say embryonic stem cells may help cure disease like Alzheimer's, Parkinson’s, diabetes and spinal cord injury.
Jose Cibelli: Embryonic stem cells love to make different tissues, they love to differentiating to heart into neurons. You don’t have to push them too hard and they pull and differentiate into different tissues.
Dr. Dean Edell: But there is opposition.
David Stevens: There is no difference morally between the two, whether it’s reproductive or therapeutic you are creating a human being and sacrificing it for scientific purposes.
Dr. Dean Edell: In August of 2001, President Bush announced that government would not fund research on any stem cell lines created after that day. Some law makers want to modify that.
Mike Castle: We feel that the policy needs to be opened enough.
Dr. Dean Edell: Congressman Mike Castle and some colleagues have introduced legislation to restore a research funding.
Mike Castle: If you have NIH coordinating operation, I think that’s better.
Dr. Dean Edell: Despite the opposition many things it’s just a matter of time.
Bernard Siegel: Eventually this science will advance. I think the question is how much suffering will take place before we find the benefits, true benefits of this research.
Dr. Dean Edell: I am Doctor Dean Edell.
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