Cloning Research

Researchers say it may turn out to be easier to clone humans than it is to clone animals such as sheep. Duke University Medical Center geneticist Dr. Randy Jirtle says that's because humans and other primates such as apes and monkeys have a cancer-suppressing gene that could prevent complications such as those found in cloning other creatures. Jirtle says this means cloning failures that have occurred in other experiments are probably because they were using the wrong animals.

"You need to use animal models that are more appropriate - and those are primates. They're not mice; they're not cows; they're not goats and they're not pigs. They are going to be primates."

Jirtle says his findings remove a serious argument that some scientists have used against proceeding with cloning experiments. I'm Tom Britt.

Jirtle says all his findings do is show that failures with cloning other animals are because experiments have been conducted with the wrong species. The ethical questions of human cloning, he says, have yet to be decided.

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"These are issues that are going to have to be resolved by society. In effect, the debate is going to be between what people as a society think is appropriate versus individual rights."

contact sources : Randy Jirtle Ph.D. , (919) 684-2770 jirtle@radonc.duke.edu