RI takes middle ground on stem-cell cloning
RI takes middle ground on stem-cell cloning
Dewi Santoso, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
As western countries debate the controversial issue of stem-cell
cloning, Indonesia has come to a uniform decision on the
country's standing on the issue.
The health ministry's head of research and development, Dini
Latief, said on Monday that Indonesia took the middle ground in
responding to the controversy.
"We're not 100 percent against it, but we're not 100 percent
for it either, as we are yet to see the purpose of stem-cell
cloning," said Dini.
She said that if the purpose of stem-cell cloning was to
create another human being of identical DNA, then Indonesia would
strongly reject it.
"But, if the purpose of stem-cell cloning is for therapeutic
use, then the country is for it, if the cells cloned are not
those of a living creature, such as an embryo," she said.
Stem cells are undifferentiated, primitive cells in the bone
marrow that have the ability both to multiply and to
differentiate into any type of cell in the body, including nerve
cells, heart cells and kidney cells.
Stem-cell cloning is a procedure whereby the cells --
extracted from an egg after it has divided for five days -- are
taken and their genetic information at the nucleus reinvigorated,
so that new tissue can be grown with a genetic code that matches
the patient who needs it.
The growing cells might be used to replace brain cells that
have been damaged by Alzheimer's or Parkinson's, or replace the
injured spinal cord of a paraplegic.
However, the extraction process destroys the embryo, which
sparks a variety of ethical concerns.
Dini said that Indonesia's position on embryonic stem cells
was clear: "We're against it, as it destroys a human life."
Chairman of the Indonesian Doctors Association (IDI) Farid A
Moeloek, confirmed Dini's argument, stating that both the IDI and
the Medical Code of Ethics Committee banned embryonic stem-cell
cloning.
"We reject embryonic stem-cell cloning because an embryo is
considered to be alive, and we believe that we should not kill
something that is living," Farid told The Jakarta Post.
However, the IDI supports stem-cell cloning when it comes to
the use of bone barrow or placenta.
"This procedure does not take someone's life as it requires
cells from a person's bone marrow or the placenta of a baby. We
approve of it because it will help restore damaged cells, giving
hope to those who suffer from fatal diseases, like leukemia, or
those whose spinal cords have been damaged," he said.
Philosopher Franz Magnis Suseno agreed with Farid, saying
embryonic stem-cell cloning was a violation of the right to live.
"Taking into account that all stem cells are human lives in
process, then embryonic stem-cell cloning is not permissible,
either for productive or therapeutic purposes," said Magnis-
Suseno of the Driyarkara School of Philosophy.
He said stem-cell cloning using a baby's placenta or a
person's bone marrow was acceptable, as long as the procedure did
not take someone's life and was performed for a therapeutic
cause.
A member of the Indonesian Ulemas Council (MUI), Amidhan, said
that embryonic stem-cell cloning was considered haram (forbidden
under Islamic law).
"It (embryonic stem-cell cloning) is basically murder, as
doctors or scientists have to destroy an embryo," he said.
Allowing embryonic stem-cell cloning would be akin to allowing
cannibalism, he added.
"You have to kill someone to help another. It's the practice
of cannibalism and it's haram," he said.
Stem-cell cloning has sparked controversy globally. Britain is
the first country in Europe to approve the use of human cloning
to produce embryonic stem cells for medical purposes.