HEADLINES

"American Biogenetic Sciences Named Fastest Growing Company"

"Remaking Eden: Cloning and Beyond in a Brave New World"

"Fool Mother Nature"

"Americans for Cloning Elvis"

"Clones-R-Us"

IN THE NEWS

On January 22, Britain became the first country to permit researchers to clone
human embryos for medical research. Scientists are interested in mining the
embryos for their stem cells, a common foundation from which all the cell types
in an adult are said to emerge. Researchers say these cells are potentially
powerful tools for studying human development, treating disease, and
regenerating organs and tissue.

In January, a international team of fertility specialists, headed by Professor
Severino Antinor, announced it would embark on the world's first concerted
effort to clone a human being. According to Britain's Sunday Times, the team will
conduct its first human cloning operation at the end of the year in an unnamed
Mediterranean country where authorities have given the procedure the green
light. Ten couples-six from Italy, and one from each Austria, Greece, Japan, and
the United States-are on the waiting list.

Last year Chicago physicist Richard Seed announced plans to clone a human. He
plans to open a clinic where infertile couples can clone the would-be father for a fee.
Human cloning could at first cost $50,000 or more, but the cost should come down
to around $10,000-20,000.