CANBERRA, Australia — Australia
legalized the cloning of human embryos for stem
cell research with a vote by the House of Representatives
Wednesday that lifted a four-year-old ban on the
procedure.
The legislation passed 82-62 in the House, where
Conservative Prime Minister John Howard and other
major party leaders voted against it. The bill was
passed by the Senate last month.
"In the end you have to take a stand for
some absolutes in our society," Howard told
Parliament. "And I think what we're talking
about here is a moral absolute and that is why
I can't support the legislation."
The parliament passed Australia's first laws on
stem cell research in 2002, allowing scientists
to extract stem cells from spare embryos intended
for in-vitro fertilization but preventing cell
cloning.
The law passed Wednesday allows therapeutic cloning,
the splicing of skin cells with eggs to produce
stem cells, also known as master cells, which are
capable of forming all the tissues of the human
body.
Scientists hope stem cell research will eventually
lead to treatments for conditions including Parkinson's
and Alzheimer's, as well as spinal cord injuries,
diabetes and arthritis.
Opponents said the bill promoted unproven science
that did not respect the human rights of the unborn.
But Defense Minister Brendan Nelson said his generation
had benefited enormously from those who pioneered
difficult research and legislation.
"We owe it to the next generation no less
to show the same wisdom and indeed the same courage," he
said.
All parties encouraged their lawmakers to vote
according to their consciences rather than following
party lines. A conscience vote is rare in Australian
politics.
The government senator who drafted the bill, former
Health Minister Kay Patterson, said the law would
come into effect in six months, after health and
science authorities draft guidelines for egg donation
and research licensing.
"It will enable Australia to stay at the
forefront of medical research," Patterson
told reporters after the vote. "I didn't see
how we could accept any treatment derived from
this in the future if we didn't allow the research
here in Australia."
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