First
Human Clone Born
Cloned Baby Birth Claim
A controversial company linked to a philosophical sect says that it has produced the world's first cloned human baby.
Cloned Baby Birth Claim
A controversial company linked to a philosophical sect says that it has produced the world's first cloned human baby.
However,
the announcement has been viewed with deep scepticism by the scientific
community at large - and no proof has so far been put forward.
At
a press conference, Clonaid claimed the birth of a healthy cloned baby
girl, nicknamed Eve by scientists, who was born by Caesarian section
yesterday to a 31-year-old US mother.
The
location of the claimed birth has been kept secret.
The
DNA to be cloned was taken from the mother's skin cell, Clonaid said.
The
scientist leading Clonaid's efforts, Dr Brigitte Boisselier, said she
was "celebrating a scientific success."
She
said another clone baby was due in northern Europe next week, and three
others shortly afterwards.
Two
of the expected babies were, she said, copies of dead children made
using preserved cells.
She
said said five other implantation attempts had ended in miscarriage.
The
company insists that independent scrutiny and DNA testing of mother
and child would be allowed in "eight or nine days".
'No
monster'
Dr
Boisselier is former deputy director of research at the Air Liquid Group,
a French producer of industrial and medical gasses.
She
told a news conference:
"Science
can be used for the best and the worst. I believe that this is the best.
"I
hope that you remember them when you talk about this baby, not like
a monster, not like some results of something that is disgusting. She
is a very healthy baby."
Clonaid
is linked to a sect called the Raelians, whose founder Claude Vorihon,
describes himself as a prophet and calls himself Rael.
Dr
Patrick Dixon, an expert on the ethics of human cloning, described the
news as "totally inevitable".
He
said: "There's a global race by maverick scientists to produce
clones, motivated by fame, money and warped and twisted beliefs."
Race
The
Raelians believe humans are the result of a genetic engineering project
run by super intelligent extra-terrestrials.
Clonaid
is viewed sceptically by most scientists who doubt their ability to
clone a human.
Cattle,
mice and sheep and some other animals have been cloned with mixed success.
But
some animals have shown defects as they age - scientists fear the same
could happen with humans.
Clonaid
has been racing against the Italian fertility doctor Severino Antinori
to produce the first cloned baby.
Antinori
has claimed that one of his patient's will give birth to a cloned baby
in January.
Antinori
rubbished Clonaid's claims, saying they were "not substantiated
on a scientific basis" and "only risks engendering confusion".
Proof
She
said that the company would eventually allow independent scientists
to check the baby's cells to verify that she was a true clone.
Dr.
Robert Lanza of Advanced Cell Technology, the Massachusetts company
that last year produced the first reported cloned human embryo, said
Clonaid had "no scientific credibility at this point."
Source:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/2608655.stm
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