Ministers clash on cloning

The Australian: Ministers clash on cloning :

"The Finance Minister is at odds with Mr Macfarlane, who wants human cloning adopted and fewer restrictions on embryonic stem-cell research."

Cloning is going to go on whether I want it to or not. They clone plants, they clone animals and they will clone humans. It is how we are. We just can't leave some things alone. Cloning is lumped in with stem cell research and yet to me they are separate. Stem cell treatments and cloning can occur without repoducing a replica of the organism. I think we need to get it all out on the table and all have a jolly good look at the possibilities, the pitfalls, the advantages, the messes we could create. It's a massive issue and it will become a part of our lives because it's the thing which is driving so many of the "cures" we need/want. Better to have a good , open look at it and the biggest dicussion ever. That these two public figures ahve come out on opposite sides is a good thing, but I would want to see more of this kind of debate. We are going to have to front up to it. Better to know!