Will Ethics Board Ban Cloning Research?

The National Bioethics Committee has decided to reconsider giving the green light to somatic cell cloning research.

There is a good chance that the reconsideration will result in an all-out ban, or at least stricter restrictions on somatic cell cloning research in the future.

In the meantime, the new revelation that Hwang Woo-suk and his researchers received egg donations from the Hanyang University Medical Center is expected to trigger another round of ethical and legal debate.

The National Bioethics Committee, an advisory board under the president’s direct control, made public the interim results of their investigation at a plenary meeting, which was held at Renaissance Seoul hotel in Yeoksam-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul Thursday.

Jo Han-ik, a professor at Seoul National University’s medical school and the ethics committee’s vice chairman and acting chairman, stated shortly after the meeting, “The fundamental question has been raised on whether somatic cell cloning research is meaningful. The decision on the possible revision of the Bioethics and Biosafety Act will be reached after reviewing research results of other countries.”

As a result, the discussion on the proposed amendment to the ordinance that will prohibit one from donating one’s eggs more than twice in one’s lifetime was shelved. The ordinance is based on the current law, which allows the use of somatic cell nuclear transplantation technology in limited cases.

The committee confirmed that Hanyang University Medical Center provided Yoo Young-jun, one of Hwang’s researchers, with eggs donated from two dozen women,

Based on the research that was conducted with immature eggs extracted from donors’ ovaries, he wrote a thesis for his master’s degree titled, “Artificial Fertilization of Immature Eggs and Somatic Cell Transplantation” under Hwang’s supervision.

The committee plans to launch additional investigations into whether these eggs were used for controversial stem cell research led by Hwang, whether proper consent had been secured from donors, and if donors were of legal child-bearing age.

The committee also confirmed that Hwang received 2,221 egg donations from 119 women, 160 more than the number of eggs (2,061) the Seoul National University investigation committee confirmed he received.

The committee is scheduled to release its final report on March 23 after completing its additional investigations.

needjung@donga.com