CLONING BAN LEGISLATION
Sponsors: Sen. Meier / A. Fitzpatrick
Bill # S.2400 / # A.4855 (Same As)

The “Human Cloning Prohibition Act” is the only true ban on human cloning currently proposed in the New York State Legislature.  NYSRTL supports this bill, which would prohibit human cloning for any purpose.  Human cloning creates a living human being who is genetically the same as an existing human being.  The act of cloning takes place when human nuclear material is inserted into a different egg, and a new living embryo begins to develop and grow. On March 8, 2005, the General Assembly of the United Nations approved a Declaration calling on the governments of the world to prohibit all forms of human cloning, including for research.  It violates human dignity and medical ethics to create and then allow lethal experimentation on these living members of the human family.  The United Nations has recognized the grave ethical and moral implications for humankind involved in allowing human cloning to continue.  The “Human Cloning Prohibition Act” in no way hinders morally appropriate research such as adult stem cell research that is more predictable medically and produces greater results for sufferers of debilitating illnesses.

*Please note there are four counterfeit cloning bans, or “clone & kill” bills, proposed in the Legislature.  A “ban on reproductive cloning” is no ban, but rather a green light to the biotech industry and researchers to clone at will and set up human embryo farms for the creation and destruction of human beings for research.  So-called “therapeutic cloning” is therapeutic for no one:  it has produced no therapies or cures, and it kills the subject of the experiment – the human embryo.

NYSRTL opposes the following counterfeit bans, which do not prevent one single act of human cloning:

A.6300A (Silver)     Passed the Assembly on 1/10/06, and awaits action in the Senate Health Committee.

S.5714A (Spano)    Particularly dangerous as is sponsored by a member of the Republican Majority.

S.433B (Krueger)   Another “clone & kill” bill which authorizes and funds unethical research.

S.5932 (Paterson)  Senator Paterson is the Senate Minority Leader.

**New Yorkers must also voice their opposition to the provision of funding by New York State through general biotechnology or research grants to any institution, program, or firm performing human cloning.