Scientists call for ban on 'cowboy cloners'

British scientists called for “cowboy cloners” to be outlawed throughout the world after a fertility expert said at the weekend he had cloned a human embryo and transferred it into a woman.

Lord May of Oxford, the president of Britain’s Royal Society, an academy of scientists, criticised researchers who attempt to clone humans, saying it is medically unsafe, scientifically unsound and socially unacceptable.

Based on attempts to clone primates, which have proven difficult, he questioned the feasibility of cloning humans.

“It is important therefore that every country introduces effective legislation to deter cowboy cloners,” May said in an article published in Global Agenda, official magazine of the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting which starts in Davos, Switzerland on Wednesday.

He comments followed an announcement on Saturday in London by U.S.-based fertility expert Dr Panos Zavos who said that less than two weeks ago he transferred a cloned embryo into the womb of an unidentified woman.

Scientists immediately questioned the validity of his claim and challenged him to produce scientific proof.

Therapeutic vs. reproductive cloning
May emphasised the distinction between therapeutic cloning, in which cells from very early human embryos are used in medical research, and reproductive cloning.

Therapeutic cloning would allow researchers to develop stem cell treatments to repair damaged tissue or organs. Stem cells can develop into any type of cell or tissue in the body.

May added: “the advocates of the reproductive cloning of people seem more motivated by the publicity of carrying out such experiments, in the face of overwhelming scientific and medical opinion, than by a genuine regard for the plight of the human guinea pigs that would take part.”

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Zavos, who is waiting for results to determine whether the woman is pregnant, vowed to carry on the controversial treatment if the first attempt fails.

Professor Chris Higgins of Britain’s Medical Research Council (MRC) said Zavos should produce evidence.

“If he has done it, then he ought to publish the data...then we can assess whether he has really done it or not,” he said.

A group of British researchers, including May, also appealed to media editors in an open letter to give less prominence to maverick scientists claiming to have cloned humans. They said “any future claims should be treated with scepticism until convincing evidence is provided.”

The Royal Society also called for all researchers involved in the cloning of humans to release details of their work for independent scientific and medical analysis. It also produced a checklist to assess claims about human reproductive cloning.

“We must find a way of realising the many potential benefits that our increasing knowledge brings -- while also dealing with the many social, cultural and ethical issues that often accompany them. And we need to recognise the distinction between a technology and its potential applications, either good or bad,” May added.