Temporary Halt in Cloning Worth It to Allow Careful Study

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WELL, HELLO DOLLY! Almost as stunning as the news concerning Dolly herself, has been the strength of reaction to reports of the first successful cloning of an adult mammal. This is all the more surprising given that cloning is not really new. It has been going on for years. However, until now cloning has involved working with embryos.

The problem with embryo cloning is that you don't know exactly what you're getting multiple copies of. You have to make the copies before development has taken place. With the technique developed by the Scottish team it is now possible to select and clone the most useful and successful adult mammals.

Dr. Wilmut and his team pointed to the potential benefits brought by this technique, particularly in the area of pharmaceutical research. However, while there are issues to be addressed even for the cloning of animals, it is the potential for cloning people that has provoked …