Stem Cell and Cloning Confusion, Once Again
Posted by Jesse Reynolds April 29, 2008
Biopolitical Times
A frustrating aspect of working in stem cell policy is the nearly incessant conflation of the various types of stem cell research: embryonic, adult, cloning-based, induced pluripotency, etc. This AP article on a proposed Ohio ban on all cloning - for both reproduction and stem cell research - contains many of the hallmarks:
- A research advocate misrepresents the importance of cloning-based stem cell research, in a state where such doesn't even occur.
- An opponent of embryonic stem cell research lumps the two types of cloning together, blurring a crucial distinction.
- The article exaggerates the state of progress with cloning-based work, saying that stem cells have been derived from cloned human embryos when that's not the case.
In fact, I could almost copy and paste my response to coverage of a Louisiana bill from last week, and just replace a couple quotes and links.
Previously on Biopolitical Times:
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