ISSUES RAISED BY HUMAN CLONING RESEARCH HEARING ...

77Mr. ZAVOS. That’s correct.Mr. LARGENT. Why?Mr. ZAVOS. Because by scientific standards it doesn’t make sense.Mr. LARGENT. Okay, but you agree that to a lot of people whatyou’re proposing doesn’t make sense either, so in other words, therecould be more people that would be encouraged to do exactly whatyou said would be mad science because of the work you’re doing.In other words, we kind of get on that proverbial slippery slope sothat people would go there, maybe not you, but somebody would becauseyou’ve taken the ball down the field a little bit. Somebodyelse might say why not? Why can’t we do this?Mr. ZAVOS. Mr. Largent, I think that we need to talk about thisa bit because I think it is your responsibility of the government ofthe good old U.S.A. to take some precautionary measurements. Ijust finished coming back from Israel where I met with many,many figures including the President of Israel. Three weeks ago Iwas in Greece talking to the Greek government. I spoke to the Cypriotgovernment where I have instructed the Cypriot government toestablish guidelines and a committee to study for the employmentof this type of technology and put the adequate restrictions that arenecessary to employ this technology safely.Mr. LARGENT. Right, okay. Dr. Zavos, let me just finish by sayingI see my time is about to expire, is that you’ve been quoted as saying‘‘ethics is a wonderful word.’’Mr. ZAVOS. Yes.Mr. LARGENT. ‘‘But we need to look beyond ethical issues here.It’s not an ethical issue. It’s a medical issue. We have a duty here.’’And I would just say that it is the responsibility of Congress tolook at this medical issue, but that we don’t put the ethical issuesantecedent or behind the ethical issues that we’re facing and confrontinghere and we do have a responsibility to look at that andso anyway, I want to thank all of you for your testimony, it’s beenan enlightening panel and I yield back my time, Chairman.Mr. GREENWOOD. The time of the gentleman has expired and alltime for questioning this panel has expired, so we——Mr. RUSH. Mr. Chairman, can I indulge the committee and askjust one burning question that I absolutely have?Mr. GREENWOOD. The gentleman from Illinois asks unanimousconsent for 40 seconds, without objection.Mr. RUSH. Dr. Zavos, is the practice of human cloning, is that amedical practice, is that considered in the practice of medicine?Mr. ZAVOS. If it becomes safe and reproducible, I think that itwill become just like IVF was not in 1978, it was banned in theU.S.A. for 3 years until it became legal and it was employed properlyin the U.S.A. Therefore, the future will tell. And of course, peoplelike you have to make those kinds of decisions as we go along.Mr. RUSH. So if it’s not safe, considered safe, then it would notbe a medical practice?Mr. ZAVOS. Absolutely.Mr. GREENWOOD. The time of the gentleman has expired.Mr. RUSH. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.Mr. GREENWOOD. The Chair wishes to thank our witnesses inthis panel. You have spent 3 1 ⁄2 hours with us and we appreciateVerDate 11-MAY-2000 07:46 May 24, 2001 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00081 Fmt 6633 Sfmt 6602 71495.TXT HCOM2 PsN: HCOM2