PRESS RELEASE

Release Date: May 16, 2002

CBHD Denounces Patenting of Human Cloning, Calls for Ban on Practice

Chicago, Illinois - May 16, 2002 - Today it was discovered by Patent Watch Project that the U.S. Patent Office (PTO) has awarded a patent on human reproductive cloning to the University of Missouri. The university shares its financial interest in the patent with Biotransplant, Inc., a Massachusetts- based biotech company.

The patent, US 6,211,429, is written so that it extends to both humans and animals as well as any other "products" created by the process of cloning. "Products" theoretically could include any human clones--embryos, fetuses, and children. The patent includes human beings because it covers a "method for producing a cloned mammal" and specifically includes methods using "human oocytes." Patent Watch Project's analysis concludes that the inclusion of human cloning in the patent may have been intentional since the patent office recognized that it covered "all mammals" and included "human oocytes."

CBHD President Comments...

John F. Kilner, President of The Center for Bioethics and Human Dignity, said concerning the discovery, "The possible patenting of human beings, no matter their age, size or stage of existence, would be a crushing blow to essential human rights and dignity.

"What is slavery other than one person owning another? By giving a company ownership of human beings produced through a cloning process, this patent apparently gives government approval to a new form of slavery. If such is the case, people should have the same kind of outrage over this as if an African- American child were sold today on the auction block to the first bidder. There must be a legislative ban on this kind of practice. Human beings are not property."

For More Information...

For the Executive Summary of Patent Watch Project's discovery and analysis, please visit http://www.cloninginformation.org.

For interviews with Center personnel, contact Daniel McConchie at 847-317-8180 or by email at dmcconchie@cbhd.org.

About The Center for Bioethics and Human Dignity

The Center for Bioethics and Human Dignity is a 501(c) 3 non-profit think tank located in Chicago, Illinois. Its mission is to develop reasoned perspectives on all of today's bioethical issues and to disseminate them to health care professionals, academia, cultural and church leaders, public policy makers, and the media in order to protect human dignity. CBHD

Copyright 2002 by The Center for Bioethics and Human Dignity

The contents of this article do not necessarily reflect the opinions of CBHD, its staff, board or supporters. Permission to reprint granted as long as The Center for Bioethics and Human Dignity and the web address for this article is referenced.