Gov`t to seek legislation on ethics in life sciences

The government hopes by the end of next year to pass the Basic Law on Health, Safety and Ethics in Life Sciences, a piece of legislation on cloning and the technology of alternative organs.

A draft bill worked out by the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs calls for a ban on human cloning, fusions between humans and animals, unlawful use of embryo buds and alterations in DNA, protection of information on genes and a ban on their use for commercial purposes.

It also contains provisions on gene examination and treatment, standards and procedures for life science experiments and health and medical treatment, evaluation of the safety of foods and medicines made from modified genes, and the establishment of the National Ethics Committee on Life Safety.

According to the proposed law, cloning through the use of a human's reproductive cells or the use embryo buds for commercial purposes shall be prohibited in principle, but shall be allowed through screening, if designed to treat diseases and conduct studies for the improvement of people's general health.