Canada Passes Bill To Ban Human Cloning

OTTAWA (Reuters) - Controversial Canadian legislation designed to ban human cloning while permitting research on stem cells from embryos received final parliamentary approval on Thursday.

The legislation also bans payments to sperm and egg donors, part of an attempt to fill a legislative vacuum in several human reproduction practices.

It will ban the creation of embryos solely for science but will allow stem-cell research on surplus embryos from fertility clinics.

Stem cells hold promise for regenerating damaged organs or tissue and treating maladies such as Alzheimer's disease. Those who hold that life begins at conception say cells should be harvested from adults rather than destroying embryos.

But proponents of the bill say that left-over embryos from in-vitro fertilization are destroyed anyway, so why not use them in research.

The Senate, Parliament's upper chamber, passed the bill on Thursday. It was passed by the House of Commons in October. It must now receive royal assent before becoming law, but that is only a formality.

MeSH Headings: Behavioral Sciences : Behavioral Disciplines and Activities : Health Care Economics and Organizations : Genetic Techniques : Legislation : Legislation, Medical : Investigative Techniques : Reproduction Techniques : Social Control, Formal : Social Sciences : Sociology : Cloning, Organism : Analytical, Diagnostic and Therapeutic Techniques and Equipment : Anthropology, Education, Sociology and Social Phenomena : Health Care : Psychiatry and Psychology