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May 20, 2005

clones by any other name

The NY Times carried an interesting piece yesterday about a breakthrough in stem cell research through a process called somatic cell nuclear transfer. Actually those S. Koreans' paper fuzzies it up a bit more, shortening S.C.N.T. down to just N.T. And who would object to good ole N.T.?

Well, the President's Council on Bioethics takes a dim view, as does the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, as does the Southern Baptist Convention's ethics and religious liberty commission. All the usual suspects are lining up to deliver knee-jerk condemnation of an amazing medical breakthrough almost before the egg is hatched.

And yet surveys seem to indicate the American public would disapprove of it too, if only they knew what SCNT was. 72% of us approve of SCNT, but when you ask us about it using the common term cloning, why then the approval rating drops to 38%. But my concern is that whatever they do, could they please not use dihydrogen monoxide (DHMO) to do it?

Posted by joel at May 20, 2005 03:38 AM

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Comments

that's hardly a 'breath of fresh air', then. can you clone that?

Posted by: uncle jim at May 20, 2005 07:38 AM

What a mouthful. Reading that DHMO link is thirsty work. Excuse me while I nip off to the cooler...

Posted by: Nightfly at May 20, 2005 05:25 PM

The numbers change again if you change the word "clone" to "later born twin". Not many are anti-twin.

Posted by: Worldgineer [TypeKey Profile Page] at May 25, 2005 10:55 AM

And they change again if you use the term "test tube babies." There are lies, damnable lies, statistics and then there are surveys.

Posted by: Joel [TypeKey Profile Page] at May 25, 2005 11:02 AM

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