Nebraska Debate on Cloning, Stem Cell Research And Abortion

Dozens of people packed a hearing into one small meeting room Thursday in the Capitol to testify before the Legislature's Judiciary Committee on four hot-button bills:
- two that would ban human cloning;
- one to end certain stem-cell research at state institutions;
- one to allow doctors to give pain killer to a fetus before performing an abortion.

Sen. Adrian Smith's measure (LB437) would ban reproductive cloning and the creating of embryos for stem-cell research using a technique called somatic cell nuclear transfer, more commonly referred to as therapeutic cloning.

A bill (LB580) by Sen. Joel Johnson of Kearney, a physician, would ban reproductive cloning but allow for the creation of embryos for stem-cell research.

Sen. Mike Foley of Lincoln introduced the fetal-tissue research measure (LB750) that would ban using state money or state facilities for research involving the destruction of any human embryo, whether it was donated from an in vitro fertilization clinic, created under the somatic cell nuclear transfer method or acquired from stem cells obtained from abortions.

Embryos are destroyed when stem cells are extracted.

Human reproductive cloning, which has never been done successfully, is a practice rejected by virtually all researchers.

Embryonic stem cells, which are formed in the first days after an egg is fertilized, are the building block for the numerous types of cells that form the bones, skin, flesh and organs of the human body.

Supporters of embryonic stem-cell research say it holds great promise for finding cures for many illnesses, including Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, various cancers and spinal cord injuries.

But opponents of the research say it raises ethical concerns and requires the destruction of life.

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