(6/29/2005)

Tulane and LSU Planning to Clone Human Embryos?

Advocating human cloning and human embryo research

The Bioethics Defense Fund, a national public-interest law firm that advocates for human rights from beginning to end, has launched a post- legislative session public education campaign aimed at raising citizen awareness of Tulane and LSU's vigorous legislative advocacy in favor of human cloning for destructive embryo experimentation and against a comprehensive ban on human cloning.

The Comprehensive Human Cloning Ban (HB 492) was supported by U.S. Senator Mary Landrieu (D-La.), co-author of the federal cloning ban, who in a letter to Louisiana House Speaker Joe Salter stated that "creating a human embryo for the sole purpose of its destruction through experimentation is wrong, unethical and should be illegal."

A 14 foot by 48 foot billboard, paid for by Tulane and LSU alumnae concerned about the direction of their alma maters, looms above the I-10 eastbound toward the Superdome and the LSU-Tulane medical parkway.

The billboard asks the question, "Are Tulane and LSU Planning on Cloning Human Embryos?," and directs viewers to learn more about the Universities' legislative committee testimony and activities at http://www.CuresNotClones.org.

The public education campaign was inspired by concerns that after Tulane and LSU's success for the third year in a row in blocking the passage of the Louisiana Comprehensive Human Cloning Ban, there is nothing stopping those universities from beginning to clone human embryos for any purpose, including the purpose of destructive human embryo experimentation.

A related e-mail advocacy campaign has also launched, with hundreds of Louisiana citizens contacting Tulane President Scott Cowen and LSU System President William Jenkins. The e-mail messages respectfully urge the University Presidents "to stop any plans your university researchers may have to begin participating in SCNT research which creates cloned human embryos for the purpose of their destruction in experiments."

The messages express citizens' gratitude "for the Adult Stem Cell research that your university is doing," and encourages them "to continue to lead the world in medical research that is ambitious, aggressive and always ethical."

Dorinda C. Bordlee, Esq, executive director of the Bioethics Defense Fund, stated "If Tulane and LSU are planning to participate in the human rights violation of human cloning for destructive human embryo research, they will have to do so in the full light of day. Louisiana citizens who want cures and not clones, and who support our beloved Louisiana universities deserve to know their plans."