Government Bans Human Cloning (1999)

Barcode (ID): 03b0550496                                                     

Main Search Term and Keywords: Cloning, Stem Cell Research

Date of Broadcast: 24th June 1999

Clip Duration: 3 min 11 seconds

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Some really good illustrations on the process of human cloning

Description: The government has called a halt to all cloning of human cells. It says the cloning of human beings is illegal and will remain illegal. The moratorium is expected to last for a year while tests are carried out to see if the techniques can be used for medical research. Experts will look at whether cloning can be used to replace damaged cells.

• Austin Smith, leading British researcher
• Law should be relaxed so scientists can clone human embryos solely for medical research
• Government has backed down however
• Open debate on ethical issues and 6 month report on the advantages of therapeutic cloning
• Description with illustration on the use of cloning in Parkinson’s disease
• If technique works, stem cells could be used to provide cells for heart etc
• Currently only use human embryos for infertility, miscarriages, congenital diseases, genetic disorders, contraceptives

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Human Cell Cloning Permitted For Medical Research (2000)

Barcode (ID): 03b0553180                                     

Main Search Term and Keywords: Cloning, Stem Cell Research

Date of Broadcast: 16th August 2000

Clip Duration: 1 min 34 seconds

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Science and ethical content very brief but a quick definition of stems cells and their benefits, case study and opposition to their use by a religious scientist

Description: Scientists are to be given the green light to clone human cells for medical research. Ministers have decided to change the law, following advice from a panel led by the Chief Medical Officer. It raises the prospect of replacement organs being grown for transplant — but using the technique to make a cloned baby will be banned.

• Brief explanation of stem cells
• Potential benefits – Lord Winston – regeneration of heart muscle, help for people in Parkinson’s Disease
• Diane Brockway, patient with Parkinson’s talks briefly about the benefits
• Dr Helen Watt – scientist and Roman Catholic – believes we should be using ethical stem cells – ‘you cannot treat one human being by killing another’

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Genetics – Human embryo cloned – Stem cell research hopes (2004)

Barcode (ID): 03d0626643                   

Main Search Term and Keywords: Cloning, Stem Cell Research

Date of Broadcast: 12th Feb 2004
Clip Duration: 7 min 27 seconds

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Although a clip that is 7 minutes long it contains a very detailed section, near beginning, on how stem cells are harvested from an embryo.

Description:
Scientists have been talking excitedly today, about cures for diseases like Parkinson’s and diabetes, after a breakthrough in human cloning. They insisted that their research would not be used to reproduce humans, but that stem cells would be taken from embryos to help treat a range of illnesses.

• Hailed as a breakthrough in cloning technology not for cloning humans but medicine
• Scientists have successfully harvested stem cells from a cloned human embryo – the first step towards cures for diseases such as Parkinson’s
• First time scientific community has accepted their work
• Fuzzy section  – when tissues transplanted into patient from stem cells they show no side-effects
• Technology no different from that used in cloning Dolly the Sheep
• Scientific section – explains how stem cell are harvested
• Fuzzy section – used 250 plus eggs to clone 30 human embryos to get one cell line – still early days – preventing a wider application
• Prof. Ian Wilmut explains the difficultly in cloning a monkey – closest species to us – this problem did not arise in humans
• Fuzzy section
• Opportunity to use these techniques to clone human beings and reproduction but currently human cloning banned in UK but as yet no international ban
• Scientists made clear they were involved in therapeutic cloning not reproductive
• Still over a decade until it may be possible to use stem cells to cure diseases
• Interview with Prof. Lovell Badge from Medical Research Council – will be a gradual process, will take a while before becomes routine
• First application will be the use of stem cells to research into genetic diseases

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