Bioethical issues, like the scientific
advances that underlie them, are not limited by national boundaries.
The first mammal to be successfully cloned from an adult cell, Dolly the
sheep, was born in Scotland. The first human cloning experiments were
conducted in South Korea. Public opinion and policy regarding genetic
experimentation, the protection of human subjects, and other issues
vary from country to country, shaped by each culture’s unique
traditions and values.
In January of 2005, meetings of the International Bioethics Committee
and the Intergovernmental Bioethics Committee of the United Nations
Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) were held
to review a draft Declaration on Universal Norms on Bioethics. Most
participating countries—with the notable exception of the United
States—appear to view bioethics as part of a comprehensive human-rights
framework that also includes environmental and economic concerns.
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