BRITAIN URGED TO END CLONING BAN

December 9, 1998

LONDON (AP) - To keep up with advances in the U.S., Britain should permit research into the cloning of human embryos to create replacement organs, a government panel of scientists recommended Tuesday.

The commission said Britain should maintain its ban on cloning to create babies, but some scientists condemned the panel's findings, saying they would open the door to the cloning of complete human beings.

The panel of British scientists said American successes in growing "master cells" of human tissues from an embryo have huge potential for new medical treatments, possibly even the eventual creation of replacement hearts and other organs.