United Nations Declines to Act on Global Treaty Banning Cloning

On November 19, 2004, the United Nations decided not to pursue a global ban on all forms of human cloning. A treaty led by Costa Rica and the US, which sought to ban all forms of human cloning—including human reproductive cloning and nuclear transfer (NT)—was tabled because it did not have enough support to draw consensus in the UN Assembly.

ASH, working with the Coalition for the Advancement of Medical Research (CAMR), participated in an effort last week to reach out to all 137 UN Missions. As of last Friday, over 14,000 faxes were sent to the UN by CAMR and its affiliated organizations throughout the world that urged support for NT research while backing efforts to prohibit the cloning of a human being. The ASH letter is available online.

According to the UN, over the next several months, a working group of member countries will be convened to reach consensus on a compromise declaration submitted by Italy, with the goal of seeking a broader consensus on cloning within the assembly.

If you have questions, or need more information, please contact Jeff Coughlin, ASH Government Affairs Manager, at (202) 776-0544.