Australians End Research Ban
The Washington Post notes that Australian politicians have ended their ban on therapeutic cloning - a vital technology for the advance of stem cell medicine. Australia is a representative democracy of an authoritarian bent; this sort of thing should be a clear warning for those who call for more power in the hands of government. When that happens, it will be people who don't know you and don't care what happens to you who will control your access to medicine and longevity technologies, both directly and by suppressing research. Is that really what you want? "The law passed Wednesday allows therapeutic cloning, the splicing of skin cells with eggs to produce stem cells, also known as master cells, which are capable of forming all the tissues of the human body. Scientists hope stem cell research will eventually lead to treatments for conditions including Parkinson's and Alzheimer's, as well as spinal cord injuries, diabetes and arthritis."
Link: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/06/AR2006120600215.html