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American Morning

Hot Debate Over Human Cloning

Aired March 28, 2001 - 13:12   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LOU WATERS, CNN ANCHOR: Back to Capitol Hill now where another hot button issue is being discussed today, that of human cloning. Lawmakers are considering whether there should be a federal ban on human cloning.

Right now, they're hearing from a variety of witnesses, including folks who say they're ready to go ahead with the controversial experiments. One of those groups believes we're all descended from aliens. CNN's Christy Feig is keeping watch in Washington -- Christy, what do you know?

CHRISTY FEIG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Lou, at issue here, as you said, is whether or not the United States should join a growing list of countries who ban human cloning. All we really have to work with at this point is the experience that's been gained from cloning animals. And pretty much all the experts that work with that say the science isn't perfected at this point.

They say right now takes about 100 attempts to get live animal. And right now that animal is often sick a majority of the time.

It's with this theme that Congressman Jim Greenwood, who called this hearing, started the session with a bit of skepticism towards cloning.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. JIM GREENWOOD (R-PA): The technique used to clone other mammals has proved difficult and dangerous. Before scientists successfully produced Dolly, there were 276 failures. Last week, my staff and I met with Dr. Simon Best, a member of the Dolly research team.

Extrapolating from its results, he told us that data suggests that it might take 1,000 surrogate mothers to successfully clone a human being at the cost of 999 miscarriages, stillbirths, and infants born with serious and unpredictable birth defects.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FEIG: Now, Lou, as the hearing, which has just gotten underway, continues, the congressional panel will hear from people who want to do cloning, as you mentioned, from scientists who do it with animals and have problems with it, from the FDA, Food and Drug Administration, who says they have the jurisdiction to regulate this and anybody who wants to do this in the United States will have to go through them, and also from ethicists.

So they have got a full day ahead of them. And in the end, they hope to decide whether or not the U.S. needs a ban on human cloning, Lou.

WATERS: OK, Christy Feig in Washington. And if you want to watch this hearing live, just go to CNN.com, AOL keyword: CNN.

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