If an effective treatm,ent for, say, Alzheimer;s disease, was developed via stem cell research using therapeutic cloning, would a U.S. law banning such research prevent us from buying and using such a drug?

UN Short-Circuits U.S.-Led Drive to Ban Cloning
Thu Nov 18, 2004 09:11 PM ET

By Irwin Arieff
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - U.S. efforts to secure a global treaty banning the cloning of human embryos, including for stem cell research, were dealt a major setback on Thursday when U.N. diplomats agreed to work for a political declaration on the issue instead.

"This is a done deal. We resume consideration in February on a declaration," said one envoy involved in last-minute negotiations before a showdown on the issue which had been expected at a United Nations committee on Friday.

While there is overwhelming support for an international convention banning cloning human beings, Washington has been pressing for a ban on cloning human embryos for research such as stem cell studies, called therapeutic cloning.

It says this is the taking of human life.

But many nations want to exclude therapeutic cloning from the ban. Scientists say the technique holds out the hope of a cure for some 100 million people with such conditions as Alzheimer's, cancer, diabetes and spinal cord injury.