[wordup] Group claims birth of first human clone

[Adam Shand]

From: Richard Schwartfeger <istari at spack.org>

If they have done it, it is a very, *very* *VERY* bad thing (and I have 
no religious beliefs to bias me - I used to study this sort of thing and
still think the genetics industry holds immense promise, but cloning is
not a good idea.)

From: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/2608655.stm

Friday, 27 December, 2002, 16:11 GMT
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.

She is a very healthy baby

Brigitte Boisselier, Clonaid

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."