top

Orthodox Observer - July 1997

President Clinton Responds to Archbishop

President Clinton has sent the following response to a recent letter from His Eminence on the subject of cloning.

Dear Archbishop Spyridon,

Thank you for writing to me regarding the issue of cloning. I appreciate knowing your views on this matter.

The recently reported breakthrough in animal cloning brings with it both promise and concern. That is why I asked out National Bioethics Advisory Commission, headed by Princeton University President Harold Shapiro, to conduct a thorough review of the legal and ethical issues raised by this new cloning technology and to recommend possible actions to prevent abuse of the technology. I look forward to receiving the Commission's report.

On March 4, I issued a directive that bans the use of any federal funds toward cloning human beings or research related to cloning of humans. I also strongly urged the private sector to follow suit with a self-imposed moratorium on human cloning research ensuring that, as the scientific community continues its work, we will carefully weigh the concerns of faith, family, philosophy, and values, and not merely those of science alone.

I appreciate your interest in this important issue.

Sincerely,

Bill Clinton

[ Orthodox Observer, Vol. 62 - No. 1131, July 1997, p. 3 ]