The Fight to Ban Human Cloning in Missouri

• Read the text of the new Cures Without Cloning Amendment
• More News and Resources
• View Diagrams of the Cloning Process Protected by the Missouri Constitution
• Sign Up to Help at Missourians Against Human Cloning

Cures Without Cloning: New Effort to Completely Ban Human Cloning in Missouri
In November of 2006, a dangerous and deceptive amendment to the Missouri constitution was narrowly approved by voters (51% - 49%). The amendment claimed to ban cloning but in fact created a constitutional right to clone human embryos as long as they were killed for their stem cells before 14 days of development. So cloning of the "therapeutic" variety is actually legal in Missouri at this time.

On the morning of August 22 a new amendment was proposed by the group Cures Without Cloning. The proposed amendment would close the glaring loopholes in last year's amendment by clarifying the definition of cloning so that it is scientifically accurate and so that it protects all innocent human life. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports here. Cures Without Cloning must obtain approximately 150,000 signatures in order to place the amendment on the 2008 ballot, but Missouri pro-lifers are convinced that with the truth on their side they will see human cloning truly banned in their state.

Some Missouri bloggers covering this story are Rodney Albert at Press On and the folks at Missourinet. AdvanceUSA Blog will also be covering the Missouri cloning issue closely. For more information on human cloning (including helpful diagrams) and the conflicts in Missouri check the AdvanceUSA Missouri Cloning page. Also, check the Cures Without Cloning website. To listen to a recording of the August 22 press conference click here. To read the text of the proposed amendment click on the red link below.

Text of Proposed Cures Without Cloning Amendment

2006 Election Results for Amendment 2:

Defeat: Cloning Now in Missouri Constitution, Amendment 2 Passes
Results | News Story

Dolly, the first cloned sheep

On November 7, 2006 Missourians faced a so-called "cloning ban" on their ballot. Amendment 2 bypassed the state legislature and amended the state constitution to constitutionally protect a cloning procedure called somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) as long as the resulting cloned embryo is not implanted into a human womb or allowed to develop beyond 15 days. While Amendment 2 banned some cloning, it did not ban all cloning.

In the type of cloning allowed by Amendment 2 (SCNT) the nucleus is removed from a human egg cell and replaced with the nucleus of a body (somatic) cell from a patient. The embryo is then allowed to develop for a few days (to blastocyst stage) after which the stem cells are harvested (killing the cloned embryo) for research. This is the same procedure that produced Dolly the cloned sheep, only rather than being killed for her stem cells her embryo was implanted into a sheep womb.

Human blastocyst, roughly 5-days old

Most experts and citizens strongly oppose human reproductive cloning (implanting the cloned embryo into the womb so that a clone is born). Supporters of SCNT contend that it is ethical as long as the embryo is not implanted thus preventing a live birth. They euphemistically label this procedure therapeutic cloning.

Biotech firms and university research departments, and other people genuinely seeking cures mounted a very well-funded campaign to see Amendment 2 adopted. This amendment only prohibits a type of cloning few seek (reproductive cloning) but constitutionally protects the cloning of human embryos (SCNT) so they can be killed for their stem cells. Though proponents had a well-funded, (they outspent their opponents roughly $30 million to $3 million) and emotionally-charged message, opponents of Amendment 2 almost defeated the measure, having gone from a thirty point margin a few month prior to Election Day to a narrow 2% defeat at the polls. A hard fought campaign of education and grassroots activism almost carried the day. And the groundwork laid will provide an excellent foundation to the continuing fight to defend the sanctity of human life, the health of young women, and the fiscal responsibility of the state of Missouri. The fight to stop human cloning is far from over.

Stay with AdvanceUSA (especially AdvanceUSA Blog) for the latest news on the Missouri cloning fight.

Click Here to View the Text of Amendment 2, the "Clone and Kill" Amendment.

Please consider joining Missourians Against Human Cloning in its fight to stop this deceptive and destructive initiative and to find out how you can get involved in this important cause.

A product of SCNT. If you clone a dog you produce a dog. If you clone a human being, don't you produce a human being?

Missouri Cloning News:

Missouri Educational Resources:

Video Resources:

Audio Resources:

Click here for relevant quotes on cloning and stem cells from experts.

Back to the main Stem Cell page.

The following diagrams illustrate the difference between cloning and the normal reproductive process. Note, the only difference between the constitutionally protected procedure (SCNT) and the cloning of Dolly the sheep is that scientists would clone these persons for the express purpose of killing them to obtain embryonic stem cells rather than allowing them to be born.