Vatican dicastery explains why human cloning is immoral

Vatican City, Feb 16, 2004 / 22:00 pm

Bishop Elio Sgrecia, Vice President of the Pontifical Academy for Life, established 10 years ago by Pope John Paul II, explained why human cloning is immoral and unacceptable in an interview with the Reuters News Service.

Responding to reports that South Korean scientists have successfully cloned a human embryo, Bishop Sgrecia said, “One cannot kill a human life with the hope of finding medicines to save other lives.”  He said such an act would “repeat what the Nazis did in the concentration camps.”

“Scientists are saying, ‘first I will clone you, then I will kill you.’  This is not a victory for humanity, but a double crime,” the Bishop said.

Scientists believe that stem cells, which are able to transform themselves into any other type of cells, can lead to cures for illnesses such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, diabetes and spinal cord injuries.

These cells are found throughout the human body, but some scientists say that adult stem cells are difficult to identify and manipulate.

Bishop Sgrecia told Reuters that using stem cells from the umbilical cord or using adult stem cells provides an ethical alternative that does not involve the destruction of human life.

“There is no proof that stem cells from embryos are better for potential cures than stem cells from adults,” he underscored.

In conclusion, the Bishop warned that “some scientists are filling people with false hope, while at the same time they commit crimes, because to create an embryo in order to destroy it is an inhumane technological game.”